Late 17th Century Portrait Of A Lady C.1695 - Attributed To John Baptist Medina (1659 - 1710)

An elegant and sensitively rendered late 17th century portrait of a beauty, housed in its original carved and gilded antique frame.

This portrait is typical of the formula championed by Godfrey Kneller for his head-and-shoulder images of court beauties, and within the oval shape of the canvas this painting has been carefully conjured to produce an attractive and arresting image.
The as yet unknown sitter has flushed cheeks and rosebud lips and she gazes directly at the viewer with a soft and pleasing expression.

Unencumbered by jewellery or topography her classical draped costume is comprised of a green silk dress and red silk wrap and she holds this and her tumbling hair with one hand against her busom, we are left in no doubt that the focus here is the sitters beauty and femininity.

John Baptist Medina (1659 - 1710)
Medina was the son of a Spanish army captain posted to Brussels, where he was born and later trained by Francois Duchatel, before coming to London in 1686 and setting up his studio in Drury LaneEven in London he seems to have specialised in Scottish sitters, and in either 1688–89 or 1694 he moved to Edinburgh, where he remained for the rest of his life. He was encouraged and sponsored by the earl of Melville who he painted in London. From 1689 Melville, like many of Medina's subjects a strong Whig, was Secretary of State for Scotland, effectively running the country for the King in London. With little competition, Medina was the most prominent Scottish portraitist for the rest of his life, charging £5 for a head and £10 for a half-length.

His best known works are a group of about 30 oval bust-lengths, including a self-portrait, in Surgeons hall Edinburgh ; these are invariably compared to the Kit Cat Club series in London by Sir Godfrey Kneller His style follows the conventions of Kneller, but his portraits are often more relaxed and informal, favouring relatively bright blues and rose-reds in the clothing, and dark backgrounds. The quality of the painting can vary considerably, probably reflecting the use of his assistants. In 1706 he was knighted, one of the last batch of Scottish knights to be created before the Atcs of Union 1707.

Medina died in Edinburgh on 5 October 1710. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in the centre of the city. The grave is a solid enclosed vault on the east side, now appearing half-sunken, adjacent to the steps leading to the northern section. The engraver, William Howison is buried in front of the vault.

He trained both his own son and the talented William Aikman the leading Scottish portrait-painter of the next generation.

The Scottish National Portrait Gallery has a representative ten works, including another self-portrait,[7] and most of his paintings remain in Scotland – there are none, for example, in the National Portrait Gallery, London.This fine painting is presented in an excellent state of conservation and is ready to hang and enjoy in its original carved and gilded oval frame, which is itself a work of art.

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Canvas: 29.5” x 24” / 75cm x 61cm.
Frame: 37” x 32" / 94cm x 81.5cm.