Artwork
George Gordon (died 1649), 2nd marquess of Huntley
George Gordon (died 1649), 2nd marquess of Huntley is an unspecified painting by the Barbizon school artist Samuel Cooper. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created by Samuel Cooper in 1650, the work serves as a posthumous portrait of the Scottish nobleman.
The miniature depicts George Gordon, the 2nd Marquess of Huntly, who died in 1649. Created by Samuel Cooper in 1650, the work serves as a posthumous portrait of the Scottish nobleman. The subject is identified solely as the Marquess himself, with no additional allegorical figures or complex symbolic attributes described in the available records.
As a miniature painted on parchment, the piece functions primarily as a direct visual representation of the sitter's likeness rather than a narrative scene rich in iconography.
Technique & Style
The portrait of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, is a miniature painting executed by Samuel Cooper on parchment in 1650. Classified as a painting and categorized by genre as a miniature, the work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Its diminutive scale, 5.6 cm in height by 4.6 cm in width, is characteristic of Cooper's portrait miniatures, which were designed for intimate, handheld viewing and typically rendered with fine, controlled brushwork on a vellum or parchment support.
The choice of parchment as the painting ground allowed for the smooth, enamel-like finish associated with the limning tradition in which Cooper excelled.
History & Provenance
The miniature portrait of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, was executed by the artist Samuel Cooper in 1650. Created on parchment, the work depicts the subject who died in 1649, indicating the piece was produced posthumously. The painting measures 5.6 cm in height and 4.6 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
The miniature of George Gordon, 2nd Marquess of Huntly, by Samuel Cooper is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Wikidata records the work's location as the Rijksmuseum, where it is catalogued as part of the institution's holdings. No accession number is provided in the available sources.
No exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Samuel Cooper, an English miniature painter active in the mid‑17th century, executed an oval portrait of George Gordon, the second Marquess of Huntly, shortly after the nobleman's death. Rendered on parchment around 1650, the work now belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection and exemplifies the intimate portraiture for which Cooper was renowned.
Context
The painting reflects the broader 17th‑century English and Scottish practice of commissioning small, portable portraits for personal remembrance. Such works served both as status symbols and as intimate memorials, aligning with the period’s emphasis on lineage and the visual affirmation of noble identity.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Samuel Cooper (1609 – 5 May 1672), sometimes spelt Samuel Cowper, was an English miniature painter. He was the younger brother of Alexander Cooper.
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