Circle of Michael Dahl (Swedish 1659-1743), Portrait of Mrs Curson and her son John Curson from Kirby Hall

Circle of Michael Dahl (Swedish 1659-1743)
Portrait of Mrs Rebecca Curson née Clark and her son John Curson from Kirby Hall
Oil on canvas
Bears inscription to stretcher verso
127 x 102cm (50 x 40 in.)

Provenance:
Meysey Thompson family, previously of Kirby Hall
Thence by descent

The mother and son depicted in the present lot are distantly related to the Curzon of Kedleston family through George Curzon, younger brother of John Curzon of Kedleston who inherited the family title. George Curzon of Kedleston (b.c1560) to Francis and Eleanor Curzon of Kedleston. Without the benefit of the title, his son Francis (1580-1658) divided from Kedleston circa 1610 and settled in Mursley, Buckinghamshire. Francis Curzon's second son was Samuel Curson (b. 1625) who married Elizabeth Stevens in the parish in 1648. It is at this point that the Curzon name changes spelling to Curson. Their son Samuel II (1659-1709) moved to St Dunstans in London and became a successful Inn Keeper. Samuel II married in 1682 and his eldest son, Samuel III was the husband of the female sitter in this portrait.

In 1707, Samuel Curson III (b.1684-d.?) married Rebecca Clark in St. Dunstans in the West Church. After they were wedded the couple moved to Aldgate and Samuel became a successful wine merchant in London. The couple later moved to Chelmsford where Rebecca is recorded in 1753 as buried in St. Matthew's church. Little is known about Rebecca Curson née Clark but it can be assumed that she was a lady of some standing to have married the wealthy Samuel Curson III. It is likely that this portrait was created during their time in Aldgate as a celebration of the couples' first born son John Curson, later John Curson, Esquire of Ipswich. The headdress and finery worn by the little boy was common practice in portraiture of the period in order to show off wealth and denote that he is the successor to the family dynasty. Like his father, John Curson, grew up to become a wine merchant and was the main beneficiary of not only his father's will but also his uncle, Richard Curson of Richmond. As a result, he owned numerous properties in Essex and London. Curson married twice but died without a successor in Blandford Dorset in 1793.

Upon Curson's death, his brother Richard who had settle in America in 1759 was the main beneficiary of John Curson's wealth. The surviving female Curson line are still represented by the prominent Curzon Hoffman & Poultney families in the USA. Following the death of Richard's son Samuel, the two surviving sisters, Elizabeth Rebecca Becker Curson & Ellin Moale Curson worked to reclaim part of the will left in England upon the death of their uncle John Curson (the child sitter) and were successful in their claim to numerous London properties and funds.

This painting was directly purchased from the Meysey Thompson family previously of Kirby Hall in Yorkshire. John Curzon's niece Mary Spence married Henry Thompson who was heir to the Thompson's of Kirby Hall. Unfortunately, the title became extinct in the early 20th century following the death of Henry Meysey Thompson and the family seat at Kirby Hall was demolished. The painting would have been sited at Kirby Hall from the death of John Curson until its eventual demise. Thereafter, the painting has been in family hands.