Anthony van Dyck, Thomas
Howard, Earl of Arundel , a portrait
drawing
London, England
Around AD
1620
Thomas Howard (1585-1646), Earl of Arundel, was
fully aware of van Dyck's artistic importance and probably
persuaded him to come to London for the first time in 1620, where
he painted the Earl's portrait (J. Paul Getty Museum,
California). This black chalk preparatory drawing was probably made
for a large dynastic or family portrait of the Earl with his
grandchildren.
The powerful
image of the Earl with his staff of office (as Earl Marshal of
England) is seen from below as if raised on a platform. He looks
down on us, his robes strongly modelled with broadly handled chalk
to create the shadows. The touches of white indicate highlights on
the costume. His chair is only lightly sketched so that we focus on
the sitter alone.
The Earl
was a well-travelled statesman at the court of King Charles I
(reigned 1625-49). He was renowned as a collector of art, and
notably he owned drawings by Leonardo, Parmigianino and Holbein. He
was also an active patron of living artists such as Inigo Jones,
Rubens and van Dyck. His collection of classical sculptures (now in
the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) was also of high quality. It was much
admired by Rubens, who was reported to have said of Arundel that he
was 'one of the four evangelists and supporters of our
art'.
L. Stainton and C. White, Drawing in England from Hillia (London, The British Museum Press, 1987)
Sir O. Millar, Van Dyck in England (London, National Portrait Gallery, 1982)
D. Howarth (ed.), Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, 1985)