Sir Thomas Mansel of Margam and his wife, Jane British School (17th century)Sir Thomas Mansel (1556–1631) and his wife, Jane, Lady ManselOil on canvas, 121 × 125 cmNational Museum Cardiff This is a double portrait that shows a three-quarter-length view of Sir Thomas Mansel of Margam, a member of one of the wealthiest families in south Wales at the time.The Mansel family of Oxwich became wealthy by investing in monastic lands following Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. Sir Thomas was the MP for Glamorgan. He inherited the family house in 1595, which had been built on the site of Margam Abbey, near Neath.During the first two decades of the 17th century, this generation of the family commissioned several portraits in the formal heraldic style, such as this. The purpose of this type of portrait was not to show the personality of the sitter but to publicly display the social status and wealth of the family. Thomas Mansel - explore the painting Use the links below to navigate around the painting to discover more Hands Thomas Mansel Clothes Beard Jane Jane's dress Marigold Hands Double portraits were common during this time, but they were usually made to commemorate the expansion of a family’s wealth, status and power through marriage – not as a celebration of love. It is unusual to see an affectionate gesture such as holding hands portrayed. Thomas Mansel Sir Thomas Mansel is portrayed as confident and distinguished. By this time he was one of the richest and most influential people in south Wales. Not only had he acted as MP and Sheriff of Glamorgan on several occasions, he had been knighted, and in 1611 became one of the first ever to be given the title Baronet Clothes Sir Thomas wears a white doublet with delicate lace collars and cuff, and a dark tunic intricately embroidered with gold. These were not his everyday clothes, but would have been chosen especially for the portrait, to demonstrate his wealth and taste Beard Beards were considered a sign of virility, and were important fashion statements for men. Thomas Mansel wears his long and squared. Jane When Jane Pole married Sir Thomas Mansel, she became connected to one of the most powerful families in south Wales. This, however, wasn’t her first time – she had married twice before! Multiple marriages were not unusual in the 17th century. Life expectancy was low, and many unions were short-lived. Jane's dress Lady Jane wears a dark dress embroidered with gold and an elaborate lace collar and headdress, offset by a lavish triple-string of pearls. This was an age when new fashions and luxury materials like lace were being imported from abroad. Her costume was not of the latest fashion, and suggests the taste of an older generation. Marigold Lady Jane holds a marigold, also called Mary’s Gold. This may be a reference to their daughter Mary, who appears with her parents in another, almost identical portrait. Marigolds were often used to symbolise grief and comfort, so it may also refer to the death of Jane’s second husband. Comments - (6) Comments are currently unavailable. We apologise for the inconvenience. JAMES CARTLEDGE 13 April 2022, 16:03 Hi I've been researching my family history and on my mother side I've found my 9th great grandfather was Thomas Mansell 1st baron mansell of margam., born 1667-1723. Also Thomas mansel talbot is my 1st cousin 8 x removed 1747-1813 , who I believe the town of port Talbot is named after. Very pleased to have discovered my south Wales family links. Regards from jim. Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff 14 July 2021, 11:49 Dear Barbara, Many thanks for your interest in Thomas Mansel and his family. On our website you can find the following resource which gives a fuller history of the Mansel family of Margam and how they became wealthy, and situates the portrait in its wider historical context. You can find it here. Barbara Koch 19 June 2021, 13:27 How did the Penrice branch of the family prosper in the following centuries?How did Sir Thomas Mansel of Margam become the head of one of the wealthiest families in south Wales? Jennifer Dudley Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff 19 May 2021, 11:30 Thank you for your comment. This work is part of National Museum Wales' collection and is currently on display in Gallery 5 of National Museum Cardiff. Sadly, this gallery remains temporarily closed for now. I believe the other work you are referring to is the Mansel Triple Portrait of c.1605, recently featured on the BBC documentary The Story of Welsh Art. I'm afraid I do not know which collection the triple portrait belongs to. Best wishes, Jennifer Dudley (Curator: Art Collections Management and Access, NMW) V. Thomas 21 March 2021, 22:59 This website does not say where this portrait can be seen, nor where the other Mansel portrait or portraits are. (eg one with their daughter). I would love to know having seen both in a recent television programme on Welsh art.I would be grateful for your help. Elissa 25 November 2017, 01:00 Love this but can't see the comments about Jane (Jane or Jane's dress) because they are cut off. I'm using a laptop.
