Venetian School
(Italian, 17th century)
First audience of his excellency the right honorable Charles, earl of Manchester with the Doge and Senate of Venice, 1698
oil on canvas
51 x 72in (129.5 x 182.9cm)
Footnote:
Charles Montagu (1662-1722), 1st Earl of Manchester, a prominent figure in English political and diplomatic history, played a significant role during the tumultuous 17th century, a period marked by civil strife, the struggle for constitutional balance, and the interplay of European powers.

In 1697, he was sent as an Envoy to Venice to negotiate the release of British sailors but was rebuffed. Returning to Britain the following year he was appointed to the privy council. In 1699 he was sent as English Ambassador to France where he remained until the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1701. Montagu returned to Venice as Ambassador in 1707.

Montagu's mission was multifaceted: to affirm and strengthen the Anglo-Venetian alliance, to secure support against France in the unfolding scenarios of European politics, and to promote English trade interests. His tenure in Venice was marked by the high-wire act of diplomacy characteristic of the age. Montagu had to navigate the complex and often secretive world of Venetian politics, where behind the façade of the Republic's famed neutrality, intense rivalries and alliances pulsed. He engaged with the Venetian Doge and the Senate, presenting England as a pivotal ally against mutual threats, notably Louis XIV's expansionist ambitions. His efforts to foster a stronger Anglo-Venetian relationship were pivotal in maintaining the balance of power in Europe.

Framed 56.5 x 79 in. Canvas relined. A vertical fold crease through center of canvas. Minor pigment craquelure overall with several fine cracks, now stable. Small pigment losses to lower right edge from frame abrasion. Under UV light, evidence of scattered inpainting throughout, particularly to lower left corner, along central fold, and outer edges along frame.