@Regranned from @philip_mould_gallery - A shot of our late-Jacobean portrait of a young lady called Grace Tothill, undergoing cleaning - swipe left to see the portrait restored to its former glory. This portrait is one of a pair of panel portraits depicting members of the Tothill family of Devon, which were, until recently, were heavily concealed by many layers of discoloured varnish and later, unnecessary overpaint. In the case of the portrait of the young lady, overpaint was applied over the top of old yellowed varnish before being varnished again, resulting in a confusing multi-layered surface. The subject has traditionally been identified as Grace Tothill, the gentleman of the portrait pair's daughter and heiress, but Grace tragically died in 1623 (aged 17), the year before this portrait was painted. It is therefore likely that it is possible that the lady is a younger sibling of the gentleman, whose name does not appear in surviving records. Both oil on panel; both 30 x 23 in (76.1 x 58.4 cm) #restoration #conservation #historicalportrait #antiqueportrait #panelportrait #jacobean #1624 #seventeenthcentury #devon #exminster #portraitpair - #regrann
