94 - ATTRIBUTED TO THOMAS HUDSON (BRITISH 1707-1779)PORTRAIT OF JOHN ROLLE WALTER (1712-1779), IN A BLUE-LINED COAT WITH GOLD TRIMMINGOil on canvas102 x 82.5cm (40 x 32¼in.)Provenance:Sale, Christie's, London, Important English Drawings and Pictures, 20 November 1964, lot 84 (as by Kettle)This portrait of John Rolle Walter (1712-1779) appears to be an autograph version of a type that Hudson and his studio produced on several occasions. Intriguingly, one such version (sold at Christie’s, London, 15 June 2001, lot 23) bears an old inscription stating it was painted by Hudson’s pupil, Sir Joshua Reynolds, who was apprenticed to his fellow Devonian from 1740-43. The prime version of this type would appear to be the three-quarter-length formerly in the collection of Lord Clinton and sold at Sotheby’s, London, 19 July 1950, lot 64.The sitter was the son of John Rollé, Member of Parliament for Stevenstone, and his wife, Isabella, daughter of Sir William Walter, 2nd Bt., of Sarsden, Oxfordshire. He assumed the name Walter on inheriting from his uncle, Sir Robert Walter, 4th Bt., on the latter’s death in 1731.He was elected to the House of Commons as M.P. for Exeter from 1754-1776 and M.P. for Devon from 1776 until his death in 1779.From 1752-53 Rolle travelled in Italy with his cousin, the Rev. Edward Rolle. They lodged at Palazzo Guarnieri, Rome, at Easter 1753, and it was presumably during this period that Rolle Walter sat for the superb half-length portrait by Pompeo Batoni, now in the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter.