Portrait of His Royal Highness James Duke of York & Albany

This work was most likely to have been painted by Mary Beale in the 1670s. It seems there is no known other version of this portrait although a similar one can be seen by Samuel Cooper (1608-1672). The portrait shows King James II when he was the Duke of York. This type of portrait, featuring James with his head to one side in a wig and necktie, effectively became James’ official image with it being engraved by Robert White.

The treatment recalls work of the 1670s by Mary Beale, but the handling is individual.

There was a great demand for portraits of the Duke of York and there were sixteen copies in Lely’s studio inventory at the time of his death.

The second son of Charles I, and brother of Charles II, James was named Duke of York at birth. He became a successful naval commander during the reign of his brother and acceded to the throne in 1685.

James was the last Catholic monarch of England, Scotland and Ireland and had been secretly received into the Roman Catholic church in 1670; his obvious sympathy for Catholicism was increasingly evident by the time of his accession. His attempts to pass measures undermining the primacy of Protestantism and his attempt to impose them by absolutist decree as a matter of his perceived divine right led to widespread distrust among his subjects. From December 1688, just three years into his reign following the Glorious Revolution where he was deposed, he spent most of the rest of his life in exile in France. Never again would a British monarch enjoy the powers that James had.

Mary Beale

Mary Beale (née Cradock) (1633-1699) was an English Baroque portrait painter and one of England’s earliest professional female artists. Born in Barrow, Suffolk, she was the daughter of John Cradock, a church rector and amateur painter who supported his daughter's artistic pursuits. She received no formal training from an academy and had no connection to an artist guild, making her success even more noteworthy. It is likely that it was through her father that she was introduced to the artists Robert Walker and the court painter Sir Peter Lely, who are the two most likely candidates for Mary’s tutors, the latter with whom she worked closely and maintained a lifelong friendship. Lely reportedly visited her home to observe Mary and praise her work and lent her some of his Old Master paintings for her to copy.

When Mary first started painting professionally in the 1670s, she was careful in picking whom she would paint as it would have been easy to misconstrue the nature of strangers entering a women’s home for a business transaction, reflecting how the biases of contemporary society pushed against a woman looking to forge her own career. She used the praise of her circle of friends to build her reputation as a painter.

A firm believer in equality between men and women in marriage, she married Charles Beale in 1652, a minor civil servant who later managed her studio and business affairs. He fully supported her work which was the main source of income for their family and played a crucial role in her career, preparing her canvases and meticulously recording her paintings. Over the years he wrote thirty notebooks of observations, including how she painted, the transactions that took place and the praise she received, referring to Mary as ‘my dearest heart’. Her success as a portrait artist enabling her to support her family through her art was a noteworthy achievement for a woman in the 17th century. 

Mary Beale's career flourished in the 1670s. Her highly regarded portraits captured the likenesses of many notable figures. Running a successful painting studio in London, she trained both male and female artists to work as her assistants. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Beale's works were often characterised by a warm, natural style that resonated with her clients and earned commendation from her contemporaries. Her paintings are often described as ‘masculine’, common praise for a woman’s work at that time, reflecting how men dominated the profession. Beale also wrote instructional manuscripts, sharing her knowledge about painting techniques and materials. Her writings, known as "Observations," were praised by scholars, including Sir William Sanderson in his 1658 book "Graphice", and was one of the first writings on oil painting instruction to come out of England from an author of either gender. 

Her contributions to art extended beyond her own paintings, as she influenced future generations of artists with her detailed observations and practical advice. Other notable works by Beale include "Discourse on Friendship" from 1666, which offered a female scholarly perspective on the subject, as well as arguing for equality between the genders in matters of the home. 

Mary Beale's legacy lives on through the many portraits that survive today, showcasing her skill and dedication to her craft. She remains a significant figure in the history of British art, remembered for her pioneering role as a female artist in a male-dominated field.

Museums
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Tate Britain
Bodleian Library, Oxford
Christ's Colledge, Cambridge