Mary Beale (Barrow 1633-1699 London)


Portrait of Charles Beale (1632-1705), half-length, seated in a brown gown oil on canvas126.5 x 103.2cm (49 13/16 x 40 5/8in).
|ProvenanceWith Sidney Sabin, LondonCharles Beale was the devoted husband and studio manager of Mary Beale. They married in 1652. Having been deputy-clerk of the Patents Office from circa 1660-64 he moved his family to Albrook, (now Allbrook), Otterbourne, Hampshire, to escape the plague. While his 'Dearest & Most Indefatigable Heart' (to quote from his notebook) was industriously employed, Charles Beale assumed responsibility for organising the commissions and payments and preparing artists' colours. His notebooks provide an exceptional amount of documentation for an artist of this period. They tell us how by 1681 Mary's commissions were beginning to diminish but she busied herself with producing pictures for 'study and improvement', experimenting with informal poses, and using alternatives to artists' canvas. Mary's portraits of her husband are noted for their informality and are amongst her finest works. The present painting seems to be painted on a type of coarse twill-weave fabric identical to that of the portrait of Charles Beale Jnr., of circa 1681, and the pensive and introspective, albeit affectionate, nature of the two compositions suggests strongly that they were painted at about the same time.