Seeing clearly: period fashion in the Hill family portraits
A close reading of two portraits in the Royal Society collections offers a new perspective on theirs sitters and on 17th-century art.
Dressing to impress
Marriage was a common occasion for commissioning portraits in the 17th century. As well as indicating heritage and wealth, the clothes shown within marriage portraits often featured the latest fashion and offer clues with which to date them.
Similarities in the portraits of Abraham Hill FRS (1635-1722) and one of his wives in the Royal Society collections suggest they were commissioned to mark the occasion of their marriage: the age of the sitters, their facing one another, and their framing.
Portrait of a woman of the Hill family, possibly Anne Hill (1650s) by Unknown artistThe Royal Society
Hill married twice, and so dating the portraits marks an important step in establishing whether the female sitter is Anne Whitelocke (1635-1661), whom he married in 1657, or Elizabeth Pratt (1644-1721), his second wife of 1661.
The woman's boned, satin bodice with a low neckline and encircling bust is typical of both the 1650s and 1660s.
During this period, stiff bodices were often offset with gauzy lining along the neckline and full sleeves clasped with jewels.
Elaborate hair styles combining ringlet curls and a flat-top bun were also common in the 1650s and 1660s.
However, her relaxed curls are more in-keeping with the 1650s.
Indeed, curls became wider and tighter into the 1660s, towards the hurluberlu hairstyle.
Brightly coloured fabric, such as that our sitter models, also fell from favour in the 1660s, which preferred paler shades and pastels over vibrancy.
Portrait of a woman of the Hill family, possibly Anne Hill (1650s) by Unknown artistThe Royal Society
Certain of these fine details, therefore, align more closely with the fashion of the 1650s. This would suggest the portrait was more likely painted around the time of Abraham's first marriage, supporting an identification of the sitter as Anne Hill (1635-1661).
Abraham's portrait also confirms the 1650s.
Portrait of Abraham Hill (1650s) by Attributed to John HaylsThe Royal Society
His simple, square collar aligns with those common of the 1650s,
while his shoulder-length hair, straggling and lacking a distinctive style, is something seen throughout this decade.
By contrast, men’s collars became more lacey and decorative, and their hairstyles longer and fuller as the portraiture of the 1660s progressed.
Dress and artistic trends
The handling of the dress in each portrait also reveals much about the artistic influences at play in mid-17th century England.
Anne Hill's dress is reminiscent of the style of court painter Peter Lely (1618-1680), whose main influence had been Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641). Like Anne, Lely's female subjects often appear in satin, accessorised with drapery and a few pearls or gemstones, the latter being a particularly Van Dyckian innovation.
This points towards the influence that Dutch and Flemish artists held over their contemporary portraitists, something also visible in Abraham's portrait. His simple black robe and white collar is in-keeping with a tradition known as ‘Dutch sobriety’.
During the golden age of Dutch painting, rich citizens, often merchants, had themselves portrayed in modest, high-necked costumes, to simultaneously showcase Protestant values and indicate wealth.
While not sophisticated enough to have been painted by Lely, and too late to have been painted by Van Dyck, the Hill family portraits were clearly painted by imitators, who were working with a knowledge of their postures, compositions and handling.
Pendant portraits of Abraham Hill and Lady Hill, probably Anne Hill (1650s) by Various artistsThe Royal Society
Questions and answers
There is much still to uncover about the Hill portraits. However, by grounding them in a specific time, the period dress allows us to better understand the artistic context in which they were created.
For biographical information on the Hills, please read our blog.
