Lot 26*
English School17th CenturyPortrait of Stephen Monins, Mayor of Dover, three-quarter-length; and Portrait of his wife, Mary Hales, three-quarter-length, in black costume, holding a pocket watch and 93.6 x 73.6cm (36 7/8 x 29in). (2)
Ending from 30 April 2025, 12:00 BST
Online, London, New Bond Street£2,000 - £3,000
Ask about this lot
English School, 17th Century
Portrait of Stephen Monins, Mayor of Dover, three-quarter-length; and Portrait of his wife, Mary Hales, three-quarter-length, in black costume, holding a pocket watch
each charged with sitters' coats-of-arms (upper right and left)
a pair, oil on canvas
93.6 x 73.6cm (36 7/8 x 29in). and 93.6 x 73.6cm (36 7/8 x 29in). (2)
the largest, framed: 121 x 95cm
each charged with sitters' coats-of-arms (upper right and left)
a pair, oil on canvas
93.6 x 73.6cm (36 7/8 x 29in). and 93.6 x 73.6cm (36 7/8 x 29in). (2)
the largest, framed: 121 x 95cm
Footnotes
Provenance
The sitters and thence by descent to the present owner
Stephen Monins was the third son of Thomas Monins of Barton near Dover, and grandson of John Monins, Lieutenant of Dover Castle. From 1328 onwards, members of the Monins family were often mayors of Dover, an office held by Stephen Monins in 1627, 1628, 1629, 1636 and 1637. Prior to 1627, he took part in the Duke of Buckingham's unsuccessful expedition to relieve the Protestant Huguenots at La Rochelle. He was later appointed Lieutenant of Dover Castle.
The identity of both sitters can be identified by the arms displayed on each of their portraits, which impale the blazon of Monins (gules, three crescents or) with that of Hales of Thannington, near Canterbury (gules, three arrows or), contrary to the label on the reverse of the female portrait which misidentifies her as 'Mary Hamon, wife of John Monins of Waldershawe, 1622'.