Viv Hendra gave a lecture on JOHN OPIE, THE CORNISH WONDER to the Epsom Decorative and Fine Arts Society yesterday. The interest in Opie was considerable.
There was a point of local reference at HATCHLANDS, also in Surrey. That house was built for Admiral Boscawen in 1756 following his naval triumphs. The Boscawen family is essentially Cornish and the historic country seat is not Hatchlands, but Tregothnan, near Truro.
Boscawen's widow played an important part in launching the career of Opie when he arrived in London in the winter of 1779/1780. As the story goes, she was in her London house when she happened to read the 1779 Annual Register in which Wolcot's poem on the death of her son Edward Glanville Boscawen had finally been published. Deeply moved, she contacted Wolcot who then made sure she met Opie. Then it was Mrs Bos who organised the portrait of her friend Mrs Delany and the introduction to George lll which transformed the artist's life.
If all this sounds complicated you will find it clearly told in JOHN OPIE: THE CORNISH WONDER, copies of which are still available at the Lander Gallery.
Hatchlands is now a National Trust property and the collection includes a self portrait by Opie (not a Boscawen piece)
