John Nicholas (1637-1712) was a Scholar of Winchester College, 1653-, Fellow of New College, Oxford; Warden of New College, 1675-1679, and Warden of Winchester College, 1679-1712.

Two other versions of this picture are known: one passed by descent through the Nicholas family to E. Allen (a letter in the Archives dated 25 May 1931 refers to this picture); it was sold at Sotheby’s in July 1982, and again at Bonham’s, 7 July 2010, lot. 55 (£2,640). When sold in the 1980s, an inscription on the reverse of this version was recorded: ‘Jn Nicholas Custos 1684/ son of Dr. Matthew Nicholas,/ Dean of St Paul’s London /… to Sir Edward Nicholas, / Secretary of State to King Charles I. Grandfather to William Nicholas of Froyle, /Taken at the age of 30’ – though this now seems to have been removed (see Bonham’s catalogue entry).

The other version is at New College, where it is attributed to the Circle of Peter Lely.

The version sold at Bonham’s appears to be the original. The New College and WinColl versions are nonetheless of good quality and are probably studio replicas.

Literature: R.E. Poole, Catalogue of Portraits in the Possession of the University, Colleges, City and County of Oxford, 3 vols (Oxford, 1935), II, p. 159; R. Custance (ed.), Winchester College, sixth-centenary essays (Oxford, 1982), plate 29

Provenance: Unknown

Location: Warden’s Lodgings