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A Romance of Bridport, Dorset

Image credit: Bridport Town Council

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Notes

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This picture is not, in any sense, the record of an historical event or of any ceremony that took place. It is a summing-up of the life and history of Bridport. The central figure is Henry VIII who is represented standing on the quay at Bridport Harbour. Above the King’s head floats the Royal Standard. Behind the King’s left shoulder is Frances, Marchioness of Dorset. Immediately behind the King is the historical and romantic figure of Sir John Russell, of Kingston Russell and Berwick House in Burton Bradstock, Dorset. He was the Lord Privy Seal and founder of the Bedford family and this portrait was taken from a picture of Sir John by Hans Holbein which belonged to the Bedford family. In his hands he holds the Charter granted by Henry VIII in 1592 which confirmed the right of Bridport’s spinners and combers to work unhindered at their craft; the pendant hanging from the Charter is the Seal of the Realm.

Bridport Town Hall

Bridport

Title

A Romance of Bridport, Dorset

Date

1923

Medium

oil on panel

Measurements

H 114.5 x W 181 cm

Accession number

PCF2

Acquisition method

presented by the artist to Bridport Town Council, 1923

Work type

Painting

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Normally on display at

Bridport Town Hall

East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3HA England

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