Richard Foxe (1447/8-1528) was born near Grantham, Lincolnshire. He was founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, a minister to Henry VII and Henry VIII, and Bishop of Winchester 1501-28. He died at Wolvesey Palace in 1528.

This is a simplified version of a portrait of Foxe in the Bodleian Library, one of a series of 19 pictures of College founders commissioned c. 1670. These were once attributed to Wilhelm Sonmans (d. 1708), but in the most recent catalogue of the Bodleian’s pictures, some are attributed to John Taylor (c. 1630 – c. 1714) and others are unattributed. While the portrait of Foxe is among the unattributed paintings, the style is consistent with Taylor’s work. This version is also likely to be by Taylor.

The composition of the picture of Foxe in the Bodleian follows a portrait by Sampson Strong (c. 1550-1611) at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, which is, in turn, based upon the portrait by Hans Corvus (active 1512 – after 1544) also at Corpus Christi.

This portrait forms a pair with Ao32. Both are of the same dimensions and by the same artist, but they entered the school’s collection at different times. The portrait of Foxe appears in several early 20th century inventories and in photographs of College Hall, while the portrait of Wykeham was purchased in the 1940s. It is strange, therefore, that the two pictures are in matching 19th century frames.

Provenance: Unknown

Location: Warden’s Lodgings