Lot 142 , Anglo Dutch School, 17th century, after Daniel Mytens (1590-1647), Half length portraits of Sir Thomas Kynvet (c.1539-1617) and his wife, Muriel Parry, Lady Kynvet, oils on board, a pair, 63 x 51cm

Anglo Dutch School, 17th century, after Daniel Mytens (1590-1647)
Half length portraits of Sir Thomas Kynvet (c.1539-1617) and his wife, Muriel Parry, Lady Kynvet
oils on board, a pair
each inscribed and dated 1604, with a coat of arms, he numbered 138, she numbered 139
63 x 51cm
£6,000-8,000
Provenance; Christie's sale, British and Continental Pictures of the 18th, 19th and 20th Centuries, March 9, 1979, Lot 36. Attributed to Mytens with a provenance given as The Duke of Fife, K.T., 1907.
Literature: Christopher Jones, The History of 10 Downing Street, 1985, pl35.

Thomas Knyvet was the son and heir of John Knyvet, of Plumpstead, Norfolk, and his wife, Agnes, daughter of Sir John Harcourt, of Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire. Jane Knyvet, his paternal grandmother, was the second and only surviving daughter of Sir John Bourchier, 2nd Lord Berners (1467-1533), a descendant of King Edward III, and one of King Henry VIII's most trusted courtiers. On the death of the 2nd Lord Berners she succeeded as de jure Baroness Berners, and on her death in 1561/2 Thomas Knyvet succeeded her as de jure 4th Baron Berners and inherited the estate of Ashwellthorpe in Norfolk. Knyvet was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in her progress to Norfolk in 1578, and the following year was appointed High Sheriff of Norfolk. He married Muriel, daughter of Sir Thomas parry, Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries, and Treasurer of the Household to Queen Elizabeth I. In 1616 he obtained a certificate from the commissioner of the office of the Earl Marshall of his 'right and title to the Barony of Berners', but he died shortly afterwards, before obtaining the King's confirmation. He was buried at Ashwellthorpe and was succeeded by his grandson Thomas.

Condition:
Oils on panels showing some horizontal splitting separations, paint rather dark and dirrty, he with light surface scratching beneath his nose and some rubbing to the paint in his dress, title and date inscribed top right corner Sir Tho. Knyvett, 1604, reinforcement strips to the back of the panel, old Christie's stencil numbers 330KL and 540ZZ, old but not original carved giltwood frames with attribution plaques to Mytens and Collection numbers 138139. She in similar condiiton, some scratching and a split running from above her right eye towards the edge, again rubbing to her clothing, titled Muriel Parry, Lady Kynvett 1604, matching Christie's numbers to the back and other auctioneers chalk marks suggesting a sale in 1979.

Unsold