M.r Gibbons & M.rs (Grinling) Gibbons

Dateca. 1695

After work by Johann (John) Clostermann

Maker John Smith ca. 1652 - ca. 1742

OriginEngland, London

MediumMezzotint engraving on laid paper

DimensionsOverall: 11 7/8 × 13 5/8 in (30.16 × 34.61cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1979-307

DescriptionThe lower margin reads: "M.r Gibbons & M.rs Gibbons/ J. Closterman pinx:/ J. Smith fecit et ex"Label TextMost painted portraits were intended for view by a closed circle of family and friends, but prints circulated far and wide across social boundaries. Following the example of their aristocratic clients, successful artists and artisans such as the sculptor and carver Grinling Gibbons (1648-1721) also sat for potraits. Gibbons and his workshop produced intricate, lifelike wood carvings that decorated royal Palaces and grand country houses. His successful career spanned the reigns of five monarchs. This double portrait of Gibbons and his wife, Elizabeth, shows the couple as wealthy and comfortable. Though the original oil portrait is lost, this print offers a glimpse into how the couple chose to be portrayed.ProvenanceBefore 1979, The Book Press (Williamsburg, VA); 1979-present, purchased by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)