John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722)

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Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646-1723), c. 1690-1700

oil on canvas, 124.5 x 99.1cm

John Churchill was Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces in the War of the Spanish Succession, and the victor of Blenheim. The head and pose of this portrait are likely to derive from the Kneller of the Duke in armour inscribed '1690' at Althorp, and both portraits show the Duke before 1702, in which year he received the Garter. A related full-length with Garter was at Stowe, and a three-quarter length copy with Garter is in the National Portrait Gallery.

PROVENANCE presumably by descent from the sitter's daughter, Lady Mary Churchill, who married the 2nd Duke of Montagu.