Lot 28: Benjamin Wilson , 1721-1788 Portrait of Anthony Chamier M.P., F.R.S. (1725-1780) oil on canvas, held in a 'Carlo Maratta' style frame

full length, wearing a maroon coat and breeches seated at a table before a window oil on canvas, held in a 'Carlo Maratta' style frame

measurements note 43.5 by 58.5 cm., 17 by 23 in.

John Rich;
George Richmond;
Anonymous sale, Scott & Fowler New York, 19th November 1926, lot 59;
David Geider's sale, Sotheby's New York, 30th May 1979, lot 170;
Anonymous sale, Christie's London, 20th July 1990, lot 322

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
The sitter was born on 6υth October 1725, the son of the French Huguenot Daniel Chamier and his wife Suzanne de la Méjanelle. Born into the nexus of the French and Dutch financiers that made up an important part of the commercial life of eighteenth century England, he had made his fortune as a stockbroker and financier by the age of 35, becoming a trusted financial adviser to both the Bute and Newcastle governments. In 1753 he married Dorothy Wilson, co-heir to a wealthy London merchant, through whose family connections he entered government service early in the 1760s under the initial patronage of the 2υnd Viscount Barrington. In 1772 he rose to become Deputy Secretary of War, Undersecretary of State for the Southern Department in 1775 and M.P. for Tamworth in 1778. He is best remembered today, however, for his academic and literary associations. In 1764 he was among the founder members of The Literary Club along with, among others, Samuel Johnson and Sir Joshua Reynolds, both of whom were frequent visitors to his house at Epsom in Surrey.