Theodore Russel (also spelled Rousseel, Roussel, or Russell; 1614–1689) was an English portrait-painter of Dutch extraction.

Origins

Theodore Russel, born in London, was baptised at the

Dutch Church, Austin Friars The Dutch Church, Austin Friars (), is a reformed church in the Broad Street Ward, in the City of London. Located on the site of the 13th-century Augustinian friary, the original building granted to Protestant refugees for their church services ...

, on 9 October 1614. He was the son of Nicasius Rousseel (or Russel), a goldsmith, of

Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...

, jeweller to James I and Charles I, who settled in London about 1567, and on 21 April 1590 was married at the Dutch Church, Austin Friars, to his first wife, Jacomina Wils of Meessene; by her he had a family, including a son John, who is probably identical with a Jan Rossel or Russel resident at

Mortlake Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...

from 1629 to 1645, and probably connected with the tapestry works there. Nicasius married as his second wife, at the Dutch Church, on 27 November 1604, Clara Jansz, daughter of Cornelis and Johanna Jansz, and sister of Cornelis Jansz (Janssen or Jonson) van Ceulen, the famous portrait-painter; by her also he had a numerous family, to one of whom (Isaac, born in May 1616) the famous miniature-painter,

Isaac Oliver Isaac Oliver ( – bur. 2 October 1617) or Olivier was an English portrait miniature painter. Life and work Born in Rouen around 1565, he moved to London in 1568 with his Huguenot parents Peter and Epiphany Oliver to escape the Wars of Reli ...

, stood godfather, while to another (Nicasius, born in January 1618–19) Cornelis Janssen and Isaac Oliver's widow stood sponsors.Cust 1897, p. 425.

Career

Theodore Russel was brought up under his father, by whom he was admitted into the Dutch Church in 1640, and afterwards by his uncle, Cornelis Janssen, with whom he lived for about nine years; afterwards he lived as assistant and copyist for about a year with Vandyck. He gained some repute as a portrait-painter, and copied many of Vandyck's portraits on a smaller scale. A portrait of Sir John Suckling, copied in this way, is now in the National Portrait Gallery. Several of his copies were in the

Royal Collection The Royal Collection of the British royal family is the largest private art collection in the world. Spread among 13 occupied and historic List of British royal residences, royal residences in the United Kingdom, the collection is owned by King ...

s, and among the nobility by whom he was patronised were the

Earls of Essex Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...

and

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

Family

Russel resided in Blackfriars, married in January 1649, and died in 1689, leaving a family. According to Vertue, he was 'a lover of Ease and his Bottle'. His son

Antony Russel Anthony or Antony Russel (–1743) was an English portrait-painter. Life Antony Russel, son of the painter Theodore Russel, carried on the family tradition of portrait-painting, and is said to have studied under John Riley. A portrait by h ...

(–1743) carried on the tradition of portrait-painting.

Works

* London (National Portrait Gallery): ''James Stuart, 1st Duke of Richmond, and 4th Duke of Lennox'' (, oil on canvas, attributed).Oliver, ed. 2011.

Gallery

File:Theodore Russel - Portrait of Olivia Boteler Porter NTI LKA 996313.jpg, '' Olivia Boteler Porter'' (1630s) File:Theodore Russel (1614-1689) (attributed to) - Portrait of an Unknown Girl, Formerly Called 'Minette' - 557792 - National Trust.jpg, ''An Unknown Girl, formerly called 'Minette () File:Theodore Russel (1614-1689) (attributed to) - Portrait of an Unknown Lady - 557791 - National Trust.jpg, ''An Unknown Lady, possibly Lady Anne Carey, Countess of Clanbrassil'' () File:Theodore Russel (1614-1689) (attributed to) - The Honourable Edward Cranfield (1626^–1642) - 129801 - National Trust.jpg, ''The Hon. Edward Cranfield'' (died 1642) File:Lionel Cranfield, 3rd Earl of Middlesex.jpg, ''

Lionel Cranfield, 3rd Earl of Middlesex Lionel Cranfield, 3rd Earl of Middlesex (1625 – 26 October 1674) was an English peerage, peer, styled Hon. Lionel Cranfield from 1640 until 1651. Cranfield succeeded James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex, his brother James as Earl of Middles ...

'' () File:James Stuart, 1st Duke of Richmond, and 4th Duke of Lennox by Theodore Russel.jpg, ''

James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox KG (6 April 1612 – 30 March 1655), lord of the Manor of Cobham, Kent, was a Scottish nobleman. A third cousin of King Charles I, he was a Privy Councillor and a key member of the Roya ...

'' (1640s) File:Theodore Russel - Portrait of Anne Villiers Countess of Morton and Lady Dalkeith (1610-1654).jpg, ''

Anne Villiers, Countess of Morton Anne Douglas, Countess of Morton (c. 1610 – 15 December 1654), born Anne Villiers, was an English noblewoman, famed for her beauty, bravery and loyalty to the throne. The first half of the 17th-century closet drama '' Cicilia and Clorinda'' was ...

'' (1640s) File:Theodore Russel (1614-1689) (attributed to) - James Cranfield (d.1651) - 129799 - National Trust.jpg, ''

James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex (1621 – 16 September 1651), styled Lord Cranfield from 1622 until 1645, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640 and inherited his peerage in 1645. Cranfield was the son of Lionel ...

'' (died 1651)

References

Sources

* * Cust, L. H. and Sumner, Ann (2004). "Russell (Roussel, Russel), Theodore (bap. 1614, d. 1689), portrait painter". In ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Oxford University Press. * Millar, Oliver (2003). "Russell (Rousel; Rousseel; Russel), Theodore". ''Grove Art Online''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 20 September 2022. * Oliver, Valerie Cassel, ed. (2011). "Russel, Theodore". In ''

Benezit Dictionary of Artists The ''Benezit Dictionary of Artists'' (in French, ''Bénézit: Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs'') is an extensive publication of bibliographical information on painters, sculptors, designers and engravers create ...

''. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 20 September 2022. {{DEFAULTSORT:Russel, Theodore 1614 births 1689 deaths 17th-century English painters English portrait painters English people of Dutch descent English people of Flemish descent Painters from London People from Mortlake, London