Portrait of Captain Lee wearing the masque costume of an Irish Knight with bare legs to facilitate his progress through the watery bogs of Ireland.

Alludes to Lee's military adventures in Ireland, which eventually led him to the scaffold in 1601. The Art Fund grant for this painting included four other Elizabethan and Jacobean full length paintings purchased from the Loel Guiness collection.

Provenance

Sir Henry Lee, Ditchley; Captain Loel Guinness; on loan to Tate since 1953.


Back to top