Catalogue of Metallic Minerals in the Possession of the Countess of Powis

Vol II, 1817: The original collection catalogues.

Catalogue page from Vol. 1. Earthy Minerals.

Olivenite on quartz from Cornwall, given to Henrietta by the Countess of Aylesford. Specimen 9 cm long. NMW 29.311.GR.80.

One of the most important historic mineral collections at Amgueddfa Cymru was formed in the early nineteenth century. Assembled by Lady Henrietta Antonia Clive (1758-1830), Countess of Powis, and donated to the museum by the 4th Earl of Powis in 1929, the collection of minerals is one of the earliest mineral collections with links to Wales.

Lady Henrietta, Countess of Powis

Lady Henrietta was born into a titled and landed family, the Herberts, descended from the Earls of Pembroke of the fifteenth century. Her father, Henry Arthur Herbert (c.1703-1772), 1st Earl of Powis, owned large estates in Shropshire and Mid-Wales as well as property in London. Henrietta was born at their principal residence, Oakly Park, at Bromfield, near Ludlow, but following its sale to Lord Robert Clive (Clive of India), in 1771, she spent her formative teenage years at the Herbert’s ancestral home, Powis Castle.

Clive of India

Henrietta married the late Lord Clive's eldest son and heir, Edward, in 1784, in a marriage that was mutually beneficial - the Herbert family had accrued significant debts, but their name was prestigious, while the Clive family had become enormously wealthy through Lord Robert Clive's military campaigns in India. Henrietta and Edward lived at Walcot Hall near Bishop’s Castle, where they had four children, Edward, Henrietta Antonia, Charlotte Florentia and Robert Henry.

Edward Clive became Governor of Madras at the end of the eighteenth century and while Henrietta was in India she began assembling a collection of rocks and minerals. Later she purchased and exchanged minerals with prominent collectors and mineral dealers of the time including, James Sowerby, Dr John MacCulloch and the Countess of Aylesford. She also recorded many specimens having been given to her by her children.

Earthy and metallic minerals

Henrietta's collection is typical of the style of collections dating from the early nineteenth century, with the minerals arranged systematically by chemistry. Henrietta organised her collection into two handwritten catalogues: Volume 1 - Earthy Minerals and Volume 2 - Metallic Minerals. She used a numbering system to identify each specimen, with small numbered labels affixed to the specimens. Although many of these labels have long since fallen off, her detailed catalogue entries have allowed many of her specimens to be matched up with their correct number.

Henrietta's collection comprised over one thousand specimens. Of these, several hundred samples have been identified in the museum collection. Despite the missing specimens, considering its age, Henrietta's collection is remarkably complete. It is now considered to be one of the most important historic mineral collections at Amgueddfa Cymru.

Researchers in Amgueddfa Cymru in collaboration with Concordia University, Montreal have uncovered new information about the life and work of the elusive 17th-century portrait painter, Thomas Leigh. It is now thought that there were two painters named Thomas Leigh – a father and son – but hopefully more paintings can be discovered helping to shed light on the life of these elusive family painters!

T. Leigh: the enigma

Researching the work of a little-known 17th-century painter can be a difficult task. In some cases all we have left of a painter’s life is the work left behind. Such was the case with Thomas Leigh.

In 1941, the art historian Maurice Brockwell sent out a plea for information on the 'obscure' painter T. Leigh. 'It is strange that we still know nothing about his origin, place and date of birth.. marriage, and death,' he wrote.¹

At the time Leigh was known by signature alone, which appeared on six portraits including that of Robert Davies of Gwysaney. Even his first name was in doubt.

Since then research has uncovered several additional portraits by Leigh, bringing the total up to thirteen; and new evidence has emerged which gives us a tantalising glimpse into his life.

Fig.3: Unknown British artist, Lady Mutton, about 1640, NMW A 3742

Fig.4: Unknown British artist, Sir Peter Mutton, 17th century, NMW A 3741

Fig.5: Unknown British artist, Llanerch, Denbighshire, Wales, c. 1667, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection B1976.7.115

In search of a forgotten painter

The process of rediscovering a 'lost' identity involves much trawling through original documents and inventories in local archives. Such searches can yield surprising results.

The earliest found reference tells us Leigh was in London in 1613/14, where he was twice called to court: firstly for setting a prisoner loose and secondly for getting into a dispute with a boatman! ² Records indicate he then left London for Chester, where he began to work for established local painters, including John Souch.

A document found in the Cheshire archives produced an unexpected twist. There it is recorded that in 1642 the painter Edward Bellen took on two new journeymen: Thomas Leigh and his son.³ This new piece of evidence suggests that there were in fact two painters called 'T. Leigh', father and son, and that they worked together at one point.

A Cheshire man?

Evidence suggests that the Leighs not only worked in Cheshire, but most likely came from there too. We may never be able to firmly establish their identities however, as almost twenty Thomas Leighs are recorded as living there in the 17th century — and there may have been more!

A large circle of painters were active in 17th-century Chester. Most painted houses, coats of arms and heralds, but the more ambitious tried their hand at portraiture, to meet a growing demand among the gentry for portraits to hang in their country houses.

Many portrait painters active in Britain during this period were foreign-born. They brought with them new styles and advanced painting techniques which influenced British painters. Leigh appears to have been influenced by the quiet naturalism of Cornelius Johnson, who was born to Dutch parents. Some believe he may even have trained under him.⁴

The Davies family portraits

Amgueddfa Cymru owns two portraits by Thomas Leigh — those of Robert Davies of Gwysaney, and his wife Anne (figs.1-2). Both were painted in 1643 to hang at Llannerch Hall, the home of Anne's parents, Sir Peter Mutton and his wife (figs.3-5). Leigh also painted Anne's sister Eleanor, but the current location of her portrait is unknown.

It was common practice for painters to produce copies of portraits for different members of a family, and Thomas Leigh painted identical versions of these to hang at Gwysaney, the Davies family estate.

We do not know why the Davies family commissioned this group of portraits at this point in time, but it may indicate a sense of family pride and achievement. Just a decade earlier Robert had married Anne - who was just 12 years old at the time - uniting the estates of Gwysaney and Llannerch.

Can you help?

Few painters in the early 17th century signed their work, but two different signatures have been left behind by the Leighs. It is tempting to speculate that one is the signature of the elder Leigh, and the other of his son, but this is difficult to prove.

There are doubtless other portraits by Thomas Leigh waiting to be discovered. Have you seen his signature on a portrait other than those listed? It may provide the missing link which could shed more light on the life of these elusive family painters!

Signature 1

Signature 2 - Reproduced with kind permission of The National Trust, Trerice