that there was an English engraver called Richard Cooper, who flourished about the year 1763, and among whose engravings a portrait of Francis Bacon Lord Keeper and Chancellor is mentioned as one.1 With reference to this subject of portraits, I may add that the various engravings of Bacon are all (with one exception which I will mention presently) derived directly or through successive copies from one or other of two originals. One is Simon Pass's print; the features of which may be traced through many generations of copies, each less like than its predecessor; though always to be identified by the hat with irregular brim curving upwards towards the sides, and bound with a scarf. The other is a portrait by Van Somer; the same I suppose that Aubrey saw at Gorhambury in 1656; which has become the parent of two separate families; one wearing a hat with a brim describing a regular curve downwards towards the sides, which sufficiently distinguishes it from Pass's portrait; the other without any hat; the composition being in other respects the same. Of both these the originals are at Gorhambury; and they are both ascribed to Van Somer.. But the latter is so very inferior to the former in every quality of art, that unless there be some evidence of the fact more to be relied on than an ordinary family tradition, I shall never be able to believe that it is by the same hand. It seems to me far more probable that at some later period when the fash1 See Bryan's Painters and Engravers. ion of painting people with the head covered had gone out, some one, wishing to have a portrait of Bacon without his hat, employed the nearest artist to make a copy of Van Somer's picture (Van Somer himself died in 1621, two or three years after it was painted, about the time when Bacon was in the Tower) with that alteration; and that this is the work he produced. That he was not a skilful artist is sufficiently apparent from the execution of those parts which were intended to be copies; the peculiar character and expression of eyebrows, eyes, nose and mouth, being entirely missed; and the whole handling being weak and poor, and without any sense of form. Moreover the hair is of a different texture; and although we have neither any description nor any drawing of the upper part of Bacon's full-grown head, we know what it was like in his boyhood from two very admirable representations, quite independent of each other and yet exactly agreeing; and it is plain that such a head could never have grown into a shape at all like that which the painter has invented. However, they were both called portraits by Van Somer; and the first (which is a very good work, as far as the painting goes) was engraved by Houbraken ; the last by Vertue. Unfortunately, these two artists, whose style of execution made them very popular and gave them almost a monopoly of English historical portraiture in the 18th century, were both utterly without conscience in the matter of likeness. And though many of their works are brilliant specimens of effect in line-engraving, yet regarded as likenesses of the men, they are all alike worse than worthless. The original from which Vertue's engraving of Bacon was taken, being itself destitute of all true physiognomical character, is indeed represented well enough. But if any one wishes to form a notion of Bacon's face as interpreted by Van Somer, he must consult the more modern engraving in Lodge's collection, which is at least a conscientious attempt to translate it faithfully; Houbraken's can only mislead him. The other engraving to which I have alluded as not derived from either of the originals above mentioned, is the small head engraved for Mr. Montagu's edition of Bacon's works. This was taken from a miniature by Hilliard then in the possession of John Adair Hawkins, Esq., representing Bacon in his eighteenth year; a work of exquisite beauty and delicacy. But here also, I regret to say, the laudable attempt to bring an image of it within reach of the general public has been attended with the same infelicity. The engraver has so completely failed to catch either expression, feature, character, or drawing, that I think no one can have once seen the original without wishing, in justice both to subject and artist, that no one who has not seen it inay ever see the copy. Judging from the issue of Mr. Montagu's attempt to obtain an engraving of this miniature, it is perhaps fortunate that he did not fulfil the intention which he XXX HISTORY AND PLAN OF THE COMPLETE EDITION. announced of giving an engraving of a bust in terra cotta representing Bacon in his twelfth year, which is at Gorhambury, in the possession of the Earl of Verulam. But this also is a work of great merit, and extremely interesting. It is coloured, and (like Hilliard's miniature) shows the head. I have been told by artists that it is probably of Italian workmanship; and certainly the work of an accomplished sculptor, who had a delicate perception of form and character. A faithful representation of it would be one of the most valuable contributions which could be made to our collections of the faces of memorable men. There are other portraits of Bacon in existence, but I have not myself seen any which can be relied upon as authentic or which appear to have any independent value. If the foregoing remarks should be the means of bringing any such out of their hiding-places, I shall think them well bestowed; and I need scarcely add that I should be most happy to receive any communication on the subject, and to afford what help I can towards putting them in their true light. 60. Lincoln's Inn Fields, January, 1857. JAMES SPEDDING. |