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Exhibited: S.N.P.G., 2000-2003

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Notes: Richard Fanshawe was a diplomat and an author. He was secretary to the ambassador to Spain (1635-38) and chargé d'affaires there (1638). During the English civil war he served Prince Charles (after 1649 Charles II) in England, Ireland and on the Continent until his own capture in 1651 at the Battle of Worcester. Amongst other duties Sir Richard had responsibility for finalising the marriage of Charles II and Catherine of Braganza.
In subsequent retirement Fanshawe made the best-known of his many translations, The Luciad in 1655, an English verse translation of Luis de Camões's masterpiece. After the Restoration he was sent on a mission to Portugal and served as ambassador to Portugal (1662-63), privy councillor and ambassador to Spain (1664-66).
Richard married Anne Harrison (b.1625) and they had fourteen children. Anne shared her husband's royalist opinions and went with him on royal service to France, Ireland and Spain. The couple went into exile but returned at the Restoration.
Anne's Memoirs were completed in 1676, but were first published in 1829. In them she describes being given a miniature by Charles II on his arrival in England: 'The next day I went with other ladies of the family to congratulate his Majesty's happy arrival, who received me with great grace, and promised me future favours to my husband and self. His Majesty gave my husband his picture, set with small diamonds, when he was a child: it is a great rarity, because there never was but one'.

This portrait by Cooper is typical of the miniatures he painted in the late 1640s; unsigned and with a dark background. It was probably commissioned for Anne as her husband went to fight in the Civil War.