At The Vyne in Hampshire, there is a group of six full-length portraits whose original identities have been lost.

The recent cleaning of the paintings has not only revealed their quality, but will also encourage a search to find their true identity.

The Portraits

Portraits are an important part of historic house collections. If paintings were bought from other collections, the true identity of the sitter was sometimes unclear, and sitters assumed mistaken identities.

The posthumous inventory of John Chute of The Vyne, dated 1776, records in the Oak Gallery, '6 whole length pieces painting in black and gilt frames'. Although they have been identified as of various sitters, they were named in the 19th century, albeit mostly inaccurately, as:

• The Countess of Essex
• Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex
• George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham
• Sir Francis Bacon
• Mrs Penobscot
• Lady Frances Howard, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox (the one correctly identified portrait amongst them)

Their condition

The paintings were in poor condition with buckling canvases, flaking paint, discoloured retouchings and very yellowed varnishes. The paintings had probably been restored in the 18th century, which involved lining onto a second canvas, cleaning and revarnishing. It was possible to date this treatment by examining the stretchers and lining canvases. (The stretchers were of a design typical of that period. The lining canvases were relatively coarse and had uneven threads typical of the 18th century.)

Technical analysis

Visual and technical analysis can reveal changes to a painting. Two of the paintings had been enlarged by the addition of extra canvas at the sides or top edge. Three of the paintings had been reduced in size, with the original edge of the painting folded over the stretcher. These changes were done either to make the paintings similar in size, or (in the case of the two fixed pictures) to fit the space on the wall.

The transparency of the oil medium of the paint increases with time. This can make changes in the original design visible. On the Countess of Essex, her skirt was originally fuller and subsequently reduced in size.

Paint analysis involves taking small paint samples and examining them under the microscope. They show the original paint and varnish layers and any subsequent changes. On some of the paintings, large areas of the background and the costume had been completely repainted. This was probably done to cover worn areas of paint or to change the appearance of the face or costume.

X- rays can reveal earlier designs that were subsequently painted out. For example, Lady Frances Howard was originally wearing a coronet.

Clues to their identity

Removal of discoloured varnishes reveals costume and facial details. Costumes help to date a painting, and a comparison of facial features with known portraits may identify the sitter. Stylistic characteristics of the artist or period are more visible and can provide additional clues. Efforts are now underway to identify the sitters of this interesting group.