Sir George Carew

Description

George Carew (Earl of Totnes from 1626), 1555-1629

Oil on canvas

English school

Three-quarter length portrait of George Carew (1555-1629). Carew married into the wealthy and long-established Stratford-upon-Avon Clopton family in 1580 when he married Joyce Clopton. He was a successful courtier to Queen Elizabeth I, King James I and King Charles I due to his involvement in English military campaigns and governance in Ireland, he was made President of Munster in 1600. He held several prominent positions at court including lieutenant general of the ordnance (1592), master of the ordnance (1608) and privy councillor (1616). He also travelled to Spain, Portugal and France. In 1605 he was created Baron Carew of Clopton and became Earl of Totnes in 1626.

The portrait was purchased from a sale at Clopton House near Stratford-upon-Avon in 1930 at which sale a portrait of Joyce Clopton was also sold. Clopton House was once the home of Joyce Clopton and George Carew though they spent little time there.