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Description: | This painting originally came to the collection as an 'Unknown Knight of St John' and was subsequently identified as Antoine Joseph Desallier d'Argenville, based largely on the depiction of a book by Desallier in the painting. This is almost certainly not the sitter, since Desallier was never a member of the Order, and in any case, bore little resemblance to the Knight in this picture. It was probably not an 'official' portrait, as such paintings would generally have some indication of the sitter's fame within the Order (an object or scene relating to his deeds), or the official dress of the Order (either military or religious) would be used. In this case, it seems that the sitter's membership in the Order of St John was incidental to the main focus of interest; his collection of shells, which he indicates with his hand. These are, clockwise from the left; a Golden Cowry (Cypraea aurantium), a Precious Wentletrap (Epitonium scalare), a Hammer Oyster (Malleus malleus), an Admiral Cone (Conus ammiralis), and a Watering Pot (Brechites penis). All were highly collectible, rare, and expensive items at the time; as demonstrated by the prices they fetched in the 1786 sale of the Duchess of Portland's collection, for example. Immediately behind the shells is a crown, which indicates that the sitter was either a Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, or a German Prince or Duke. To the right of the crown are three books on shells: 'Chemniz Sifteinat Conchilien Merch'; 'Linne Natur Geschichte'; and 'Desallier'. This last provides positive dating evidence, as the earliest published work by Desallier was 1742. The costume and furnishings have been dated by the Victoria and Albert Museum as between 1740 and 1770, while the painting is unlikely to be after the invasion of Malta by Napoleon in 1798. | Subjects: | Golden Cowry Admiral Cone Watering Pot) Hammer Oyster Precious Wentletrap portrait (Antoine Joseph Desallier d'Argenville); still life (shells | Source: | Vads | Creator: | Artist: Unknown Æ | Identifier: | http://www.vads.ac.uk/large.php?uid=8604... | Go to resource |
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