This engraving, created by Pieter Van Gunst between 1713 and 1715, depicts King Charles I of Great Britain, based on a portrait by Anthony van Dyck.
The original painting was once housed in the Drawing Room at Houghton Hall, Norfolk, England, before its sale to Catherine the Great of Russia in 1779 and is now part of the State Hermitage Museum collection in St. Petersburg. The engraving is part of a series of ten plates commissioned by a syndicate of British art dealers, featuring works from the collection of Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton. Jacob Houbraken collaborated on the project, traveling to Britain to prepare drawings for the engravings, which were advertised in the London Gazette in December 1715.
The engraving portrays King Charles I in full armor, emphasizing his role as a military leader during the turbulent years of the English Civil War. He holds a baton in his right hand, symbolizing command and authority, while his left hand rests on the hilt of his sword, reinforcing his martial prowess. Behind him, his plumed helmet and royal crown are displayed atop a velvet-draped table, highlighting his dual role as both a warrior and a sovereign. On the floor lie his gauntlets, further emphasizing the military theme of the portrait.
The engraving captures the regal and stoic demeanor of Charles I, juxtaposed against the backdrop of his eventual defeat and execution in 1649. Van Dyck originally painted the portrait shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, imbuing the image with a sense of both defiance and vulnerability. The composition reflects the tensions of the time, with Charles asserting his divine right to rule amidst a crumbling monarchy.
The painting, originally part of the Houghton Collection assembled by Sir Robert Walpole, was considered a masterpiece of Van Dyck's portraiture. Its transfer to Russia in 1779 was part of a controversial sale orchestrated by George Walpole, 3rd Earl of Orford, who sold the family’s extensive art collection to settle debts. The sale, conducted through the Russian envoy A. I. Musin-Pushkin, was met with significant backlash from Parliament and British society, symbolizing a loss of national heritage.
This engraving exemplifies the 18th-century fascination with Van Dyck's court portraits and their significance in British and European art history. The series commissioned by British dealers sought to disseminate Van Gunst's precise engraving technique captures the dramatic and intricate details of Van Dyck's original, translating the painter’s mastery of texture and composition into the medium of print.