Portrait of Charles II, King of Great Britain and Ireland

Three-quarter length seated portrait of Charles II, the Royal Society’s first patron. Charles is posed almost side-on as viewed, his head turned in a quarter profile. His left hand, in the foreground as viewed, is on his hip, the right hand holds an upright cane or baton. The King wears a white shirt with bell sleeves and lace cuffs with a matching white lace cravat. Over this a gold tabard with fringed and jewelled skirt and shoulder sections, the latter in the shape of a lion’s head. Charles wears a blue velvet cloak with a red lining secured at the left shoulder by a gold clasp set with sapphires. At his left hip is a sword with a jewelled guard, the handle and pommel in the shape of a bird’s head. Charles has a shoulder length black wig and a narrow moustache. Behind is a hanging of bronze fabric, revealing to the right as viewed a fluted architectural pillar. Charles II was the Royal patron and founder of the Royal Society.