Mountjoy Blount, Earl of Newport

Anthony Van Dyck, a pupil of Peter Paul Rubens, spent most of the 1630s working in London. He imported a sophisticated style of portrait painting characterized by loose brushwork and the relaxed and elegant demeanor he gave his sitters. When this portrait was painted, Newport was at the height of his influence. In 1634, Charles I had made Newport master of the ordnance, putting him in charge of supplies such as gunpowder and making him very wealthy. Van Dyck’s portrait casts Newport as a powerful but reserved commander, gazing outward from a position just outside his military tent. His helmet, cast in shadow, rests on the table within while soldiers arm for battle behind him. Newport was a historically divisive character: an early royal favorite, he was allied with the king’s critics by the beginning of the Civil War. After the Restoration, he was stripped of his offices and his reputation lapsed into obscurity.

Gallery label for installation of YCBA collection, 2022