This fine portrait by Benjamin Wilson (1721-1788) said to be of John Cobbold (1746-1835) and his wife, Elizabeth Clarke presents us with two problems.
Firstly, where is it? We would like to find out because we would like to do the decent thing and politely ask for permission to reproduce it. In family history terms it is a very important picture. We know it was offered for sale with provenance Nancy Lancaster, Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire, by Sothebys as lot 57 in London on 9th November 1994 but it was unsold and returned to the consignor. All enquiries since have drawn a blank. If any visitor to our site is able to shed any light we would be delighted and if, by chance, the owner was to contact us we would be ecstatic!
Secondly, it seems unlikely that the wife portrayed is his second wife as he did not marry her, Elizabeth Clarke (née Knipe), until 1791, some three years after the artist died. He had married firstly, Elizabeth Wilkinson (1753-1790) in 1773 so possibly the portrait was in celebration of that marriage.
Help!
Anthony Cobbold
