Colonel Robert Hammond by Cornelius Johnson (tactile)
By:
Sign Up Now!
Already a Member? Log In
You must be logged into UK education collection to access this title.
Learn about membership options,
or view our freely available titles.
- Synopsis
- 1640s; by Cornelius Johnson (1593-1661); oil on canvas in a gilded wooden frame; canvas 75 cm high by 60 cm wide and frame 88 cm by 73 cm. The Hammonds were a long-established East Kent family, based at St Albans Court, Nonington, mid-way between Canterbury and Dover, from the 16th century onwards. In more recent times they were Canterbury bankers (the firm now Lloyds) and one was a benefactor of the museum. Robert Hammond (born 1587), with one of his brothers, Colonel Francis Hammond (of whom there is a portrait above that of Robert), was involved in an expedition to Guinea with Sir Walter Raleigh in 1616. Francis is said to have fought 14 single-handed combats during the Civil War. Both brothers were on the side of King Charles I and wear Royalist sashes in their portraits. Robert was later commissioned to raise a force in Kent during the Civil War, as part of the 1648 Kent Revolt (or Insurrection, as it is called in the somewhat later inscription on the portrait). This had its origins in Canterbury in the Christmas Day Riot of 1647 and resulted in the Petition of Kent to Parliament. He took his infantry into a number of actions including the Siege of Colchester where he was captured. Robert was later killed in Ireland by Cromwells forces. The artist, Cornelius Johnson, or Janssens, was one of the country’s leading portrait painters in the time of King Charles I, and had been appointed picture drawer to the king. Born in London of Dutch parents, Johnson lived for a time in the 1630s at Bridge, near Canterbury, and while there was kept busy painting portraits of the local gentry. A portrait by him of two children is displayed nearby. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Johnson returned to the Netherlands, where he remained until his death in 1661. In the head to waist portrait, Robert is shown, aged about 40 to 45, facing the viewer with his head turned very slightly to the left, his brown eyes looking away into the distance. His right arm is down by his side and his left arm is bent at the elbow revealing the top of a steel gauntlet that he is wearing over his left hand and lower arm. This protected the hand that controlled the horse and is decorated with brass rivets. Covering his chest is a steel breast plate that is decorated with two strips of riveted gold metal that edges the arm holes. The Royalist sash is tied around the base of the breastplate with the folds in the fine fabric clearly painted in gold and red. Around his neck and sitting on top of the breastplate is a high fine white linen collar with lace edging. The collar is tied at the front with two white ties with decorative toggles at the end that is the precursor of the necktie. His sleeves are decorated with horizontal bands of silver brocade fabric woven with thread finely wrapped in metal. This would be tough and might have given some added protection to the arms, although it is mainly decorative. Underneath is a red lining that shows through the strips of brocade. He has a fashionably cut moustache and small goatee beard. His long brown hair edges his face, goes behind his right ear and rests behind him on the linen collar. The artist has painted Robert against a black background with light coming from the left. This light illuminates Robert's face, his white linen collar and the brocade on his right sleeve. On the shiny breastplate a thick white stripe has been painted to show the light reflecting on it.
- Copyright:
- 2011
Book Details
- Book Quality:
- Excellent
- Publisher:
- RNIB
- Date of Addition:
- 04/12/17
- Copyrighted By:
- RNIB
- Adult content:
- No
- Language:
- English
- Has Image Descriptions:
- No
- Categories:
- Art and Architecture
- Submitted By:
- Sarah Bennett
- Proofread By:
- N/A
- Usage Restrictions:
- This is a copyrighted book.