Event Item: 00004

Sotheby's to sell Harcourt miniature of Oliver Cromwell

Event: 6th Jun 2007 to 6th Jun 2007

Source: http://www.sothebys.co.uk

On Wednesday, June 6 2007, Sotheby's will sell the definitive portrait of Oliver Cromwell - the Harcourt miniature - from which almost all later renditions of Cromwell derive and the image which has, to this day, defined our vision of this crucial figure in British history. A purposefully "warts and all" picture, the Harcourt miniature is just one of a small handful of lifetime portraits of Cromwell and of these it is by far the finest and most important, finished version. Estimated at £100,000-150,000, the miniature - which measures just 10.4 x 8 cm - ranks among the most valuable miniatures ever to have come to the market. Painted in 16571, a year before Cromwell died of an untimely bout of malaria, this powerful, strident miniature shows Cromwell (1599-1658) - Lord Protector of Britain since 1653 - looking strong and purposeful. The artist behind it, Samuel Cooper (1609-1672), was arguably the greatest British-born portrait artist of the 17th century.