The Three Sons of Sir Henry Harpur (oil on canvas)

Thomas Hudson (Devonshire 1701 - Twickenham 1779) and Joseph van Aken (Antwerp 1709 - London 1749). Oil painting on canvas, The Three Sons of Sir Henry Harpur 5th Bt: John Harpur (1734/5 - 1745); Henry Harpur later Sir Henry Harry Harpur, 6th Bt (1739-1789) and Charles Harpur later Major Charles Harpur (1741 - 1770) by Thomas Hudson (Devonshire 1701 - Twickenham 1779) and Joseph van Aken (Antwerp 1709 - London 1749), 1745. Portraying three children after the portrait by Van Dyck of the children of Charles I. John, on the right, dressed in a crimson suit, rests his hand on the head of a mastiff. Henry, in the middle wears a red dress with lace trimming, and Charles sits on the carpet wearing a white dress and fondling a black and white spaniel. Behind is a stone lion in the dark background (inventory card). Isabel Harpur Crewe commented in this portrait; 'The eldest boy (John on the right) died at school aged twelve, and the second son (Henry, centre) succeeded to the Baronetcy, the third (Charles, left) became a major in the army, and died suddenly at Twyford Hall aged 27'. The Calke account books record a payment to Thomas Hudson for 50 guineas in December 1745 which accords with the ages of the children shown. Hudson uses the famous portrait of the older children of Charles I by Van Dyke at Windsor as his model for both the costume and pose of the eldest boy and the mastiff (House Guide, last revised edition 1996). Calke Abbey, Derbyshire (Accredited Museum)