17th Century English School Oil On Wood Panel By Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596)

Miniature portrait of Sir Francis Drake (1540-1596) naval commander, English explorer, and privateer. Oil on wooden panel Oval, 7.5 x 5.5 cm Frame: 13.5cm x 11.5cm Origin Heydon Garage, Norfolk. This miniature is a version of the portrait of Sir Francis Drake by Marcus Gheeraerts located at Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery. It is not surprising that Gheerhaerts should paint Sir Francis Drake's portrait as he was integral to the successes of the Elizabethan age. Gheerearts painted Queen Elizabeth standing over a map in 'The Ditchley Portrait' (1592) to represent the conquering and discovery of the 'New World', a so-called 'Golden Age'. Our miniature is a powerful reminder of the mammoth feats Sir Francis Drake delivered during the reign of Elizabeth I. The one aspect that remains constant throughout the conography of Sir Francis Drake is his assertive and dominant facial hair. John Stow, 16th century English historians, noted Drake to be Drake 'round, headed brown hayre, full bearded, his eyes round, Large and clear, well favored, fayre, and of a cheerefull countenance'. Similarly, in 1578, Nuño da Silva, a Portuguese pilot made clear that Drake was 'of good appearance, with a red beard and a ruddy complexion'. Such affirming features match what is displayed in our miniature. There is some speculation around Gheereats's involvement in producing portrait miniatures, with Daphne Foskett noting that although he was a celebrated portrait painter, 'has been said to have painted miniatures, no proof of this has so far come to light'.1 Heydon Grange dates back to the 17th century and housed a comprehensive arts and antiques collection that had been corroborated by many generations of the Bulwer-Long family. The Grange is situated on the Heydon Hall estate that boasts a fine country house built in 1582 for Sir Henry Dynne, one of the auditors of the Exchequer for Elizabeth I. 1 Foskett, D. 'A Dictionary of British Miniature Painters' (Volume 1 ) (1972), p287