CIRCLE OF JOHN ASTLEY (1724-1787) PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN Half length, seated, wearing a dark blue/green coat, holding a book of Edward Young's verse, oil on canvas 74.5 x 62cm. Provenance: Sybil Thomas, Viscountess Rhondda (1857-1941) of Llanwern, Monmouthshire; her daughter, Margaret Haig Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1958), the title inherited by special remainder; by whom given to the vendor's family * Four lines from Young's `Theplaint: Or, Night-thoughts on Life, Death and Immortality` can just be discerned: `One eye on Death/ and one full fix'd on Heav'n/Bes a mortal/and immortal man..` ++ Lined; retouching; some wear, craquelure etc