British School
Sir Thomas Mansel and his wife, Jane
c.1625
oil on canvas
The Mansels of Margam Abbey were one of the wealthiest families in south Wales. Sir Thomas (1556-1631) was MP for Glamorgan. He was prominent at the Court of James I, and purchased a baronetcy in 1611. He is shown here with his second wife, Jane.
Double portraits were common in 17th-century portraiture, but it is unusual to see a tender gesture such as holding hands. Lady Jane holds a marigold in her other hand, which presumably refers to their daughter Mary, who appeared with her parents in another related picture. The Mansels' clothes suggest wealth and the taste of a slightly older couple - the large, falling ruffs were more common in the previous decade. This is an accomplished portrait, probably painted in a London workshop.
Purchased,1984
NMW A 16