Portrait of Sir John Vanbrugh, it is in Kneller's Kit-cat portrait, considered one of Kneller's finest portraits.
Sir John Vanbrugh (24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect and dramatist, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restoration comedies, The Relapse (1696) and The Provoked Wife (1697), which have become enduring stage favourites but originally occasioned much controversy. He was knighted in 1714.
A kit-cat portrait or kit-kat portrait is a particular size of portrait, less than half-length, but including the hands. The name originates from a series of portraits which were commissioned from Godfrey Kneller for members of the Kit-Cat Club, to be hung in their meeting place at Barn Elms. Each canvas was thirty-six inches long, and twenty-eight wide The size is said to have been determined because the dining-room ceiling of the Kit-Kat Club was too low for half-size portraits of the members.
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