Antique Portrait of Thomas Fairfax

Antique portrait titled 'Thomas Lord Fairfax'. A half length portrait of Thomas Fairfax turned slightly left but looking at the viewer, wearing armour and a white collar, all in a architectural oval with a flag leaning against he left above decorative vignette of a battle scene. Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Baron Fairfax of Cameron (January 17, 1612- November 12,1671), Parliamentary Commander-in-Chief. Perhaps the most accomplished Parliamentarian officer, Fairfax was appointed Lord General of the New Model Army after his victory at Marston Moor, 1644. His decisive string of victories, beginning with the battle of Naseby in 1645, won the Civil War for Parliament. Extremism alarmed him and he refused to serve on the court which tried the King or to lead the army into Scotland in 1650. He retired from public life until 1660, when he supported General Monck's march to London to demand a free parliament and was one of those who went to the Hague to greet Charles II before his Restoration to the throne.

This print originates from Thomas Birch's 'The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain'. The portraits featured in the series, which were engraved by Jacob Houbraken and George Vertue, were originally issued from 1737 onwards in portfolios of four portraits. Between 1743 and 1752, the series was published by John and Paul Knapton in London in the form of Birch's The Heads of Illustrious Persons of Great Britain, and contained biographies alongside the portraits. The number of plates included varied from edition to edition. Although the majority contained 108 plates, some editions contained as many as 120. Houbraken was responsible for producing a large proportion of the portraits, with Vertue only engraving around seven. The ornamental surroundings featured on the plates were engraved prior to the portraits, and were done so by Hubert-François Gravelot.

Condition: Good. General age-related toning. Minor wear and soiling, blank verso. Please study image carefully.

Date: c.1750

Overall size: 26.7 x 41 cm.