A Boy and a Girl and a Blackamoor Page

Anglo-Dutch School. Oil painting on canvas, A Boy and a Girl and a Black Page, Anglo-Dutch School, inscribed, flanking head of boy: Ætatis Suae 8./1658; in white, bottom left-hand corner,[painted out]: 46. Three full-length figures, standing. The boy turns slightly to his left indicating his sister with his left hand, whilst continuing to regard the viewer. He wears a black satin coat, over full white shirt sleeves, petticoat, breeches and caunons (stiffened, wedge-shaped linings for breeches), brown shoes with scarlet heels and bows. His rabat or low collar is white. His sister is seen full-face, with smooth light-brown hair parted in the centre and falling in ringlets to the shoulders. Cream dress has a circular decolletage. Over this a loose dark-blue clock or overdress is worn. Heavily re-painted. Small indistinct figure of a black boy dressed in brownish gold stands close by to her left. Heavily re-painted. Inscribed 1658 aged 8. They may be the children of the 1st Bart, who married Margaret Paston in 1635. Previously described as a Portrait of Three Children, and thought to be Sir Henry Arundell Bedingfeld, 3rd Bt (b. 1689, d. 1760) with his sister and a black boy, circa 1697. However this must be impossible given the inscription. Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk (Accredited Museum)