The Sobieskis and Stuarts. Portraits of James III/VIII and Clementina Sobieska, William Mosman, 1733

after Francesco Trevisani (1719)
oil on canvas, 1733
private collection

The originals of these portraits were painted by Francesco Trevisani (1656–1746) in 1719, at the time of the marriage between James III/VIII and Clementina. In the iconography of King Jan III’s granddaughter, this is her first official portrait as the wife of the claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Trevisani painted two other pairs of portraits of James and Clementina, one of which was for the painter’s patron, Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni, and the other for John Erskine, Duke of Mar. Of these portraits, only the original showing James has survived, and it is in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. None of the three of Clementina has survived.

The portraits included in the exhibition were painted by William Mosman (1700–1771), a painter born in Aberdeen, Scotland. In 1732, he travelled to Rome and the following year produced copies of Trevisani’s portraits from the originals in the Palazzo del Re for George Keith, the 10th Earl Marischal of Scotland. Two years later a second copy of each portrait was painted by Trevisani’s pupil, Francesco Bertosi. Of that pair, the portrait of Clementina has survived and is now in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. The couple are shown facing each other. 

King James is shown wearing his robes as the sovereign head of the Order of the Garter, with the Collar of the order around his neck, from which is suspended the jewel known as the Great George. Both the Collar and the Great George have survived and are displayed in Edinburgh Castle. Beside him can be seen a closed crown, indicating his status as a king. 

Clementina is dressed in a silvery, embroidered corset and a light pink dress and covered with a blue coat lined with ermine fur, associated with members of royal families. She also has a closed crown. Her face is slim, her features regular, and her expression joyful and full of faith in a bright future. Her right hand rests on a watch, which was given to her as a wedding gift by Frances, the wife of the Duke of Mar. Thanks to fortuitous circumstances, this valuable piece of craftsmanship and memento associated with Clementina has survived and is presented in this exhibition.