Patrik Farkaš

The Last Will of Jakob Bogdani (1658-1724), an Upper-Hungarian Painter at the British Court

The Hungarian specialist in still-life and animal painting, Jakob Bogdani, acquired throughout his career as the royal court painter of England significant wealth. With his advanced age and serious illness, he decided to sell his paintings — however, without leaving any known list of items or their pricing. Bogdani died in the day of this sale, when his last will was already signed and sealed. The transcript of that document, originally processed in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, is preserved to this day in The National Archives in London. The document clarifies that the major part of the author’s hereditaments should have been bequeathed by his daughter Elizabeth and his son-in-law Tobias Stranover (1684–1756). They were named heirs of the estates in Hitchin and Spalding, which included agricultural facilities and booth-stalls. This concludes, the painter aside from his career in art, took a part also in other gainful activities. Despite the implication of George Vertue (1684–1756), Jakob Bogdani did not die in poverty, as it was commonly thought, but even in the time of his death, he possessed a fortune in the form of his estates. A harsh investment of his son William (1699–1771) was one of the causes of his financial troubles, which was arguably the reason, why Bogdani chose to leave the major part of his properties to his daughter and his son-in-law. In the testament, there are also notes, directly concerning his oeuvre. In parti- cular, the mention of the so-called ‘modelli’ might raise the questions. A half of those items, which were arguably Bogdani’s working instruments, should have been given to his daughter and son-in-law, and the other half was meant for William. However, it is not known whether they were accumulated supplies of sketches or stuffed animals. In this document, also the executors of the last will were named. They were John Smith — Bogdani’s frame-maker; and his colleague and friend, Edward Byng (ca. 1676–1753).

Patrik Farkaš: patrik.farkas@upol.cz

< back