Decade 1620-1629
See also : Ancient England Ancient painting Ancient Italy Italian painting 1280-1700 Rembrandt Music in old painting Ancient sculpture Books 17th century books Literature Literature in English Later Ming India Islam Cartier
Later Ming - North and South according to Dong Qichang
2015 SOLD for RMB yuan 69M including premium
In the later Ming Dynasty, 400 years ago, Dong Qichang is a theoretician of graphic art. He describes two opposing traditional tendencies named by him Northern school and Southern school. These wordings are now regarded as unfair because they correspond in no way to geographically distinct artistic styles.
Dong attributed to the North a realism in the Confucian tradition, more concerned by objectivity than by art. His Southern school promotes free forms close to the later European romanticism. The southern artistic creation invites to emotion and dream in the Taoist tradition.
On November 15 in Beijing, China Guardian sells a mountain landscape by Dong Qichang, hand scroll 26 x 146 cm, lot 1327 estimated RMB 60M.
The clean and sharp ink line defines a mountain landscape where the accumulation of rocks is beautifully exaggerated. The ground is scattered with more realistic trees, which could help the lovers of Northern art of his time to accept the romanticism of the artist. The scenery is not animated, but a discrete group of thatched cottages brings a human dimension.
Dong attributed to the North a realism in the Confucian tradition, more concerned by objectivity than by art. His Southern school promotes free forms close to the later European romanticism. The southern artistic creation invites to emotion and dream in the Taoist tradition.
On November 15 in Beijing, China Guardian sells a mountain landscape by Dong Qichang, hand scroll 26 x 146 cm, lot 1327 estimated RMB 60M.
The clean and sharp ink line defines a mountain landscape where the accumulation of rocks is beautifully exaggerated. The ground is scattered with more realistic trees, which could help the lovers of Northern art of his time to accept the romanticism of the artist. The scenery is not animated, but a discrete group of thatched cottages brings a human dimension.
1621 Danaë by Orazio Gentileschi
2016 SOLD for $ 30.5M by Sotheby's
Born in Pisa, Orazio Gentileschi begins his career in Rome. He does not follow the anti-mannerism of the Carracci nor the tenebrism of Caravaggio. His art is nevertheless modern for his time with beautiful contrasts and a pleasant naturalism.
In 1621, he is invited by the wealthy Genovese merchant Giovanni Antonio Sauli, son of a former Doge of that city, to work in his palazzo as a painter and as an artistic adviser. Gentileschi executes three monumental paintings on the theme of mystical love, an excuse for displaying sensual nudes.
Sublimating the religions, the artist chooses his stories in the Old Testament, Christian parables and Greek myths. Lot's daughters symbolize the expectation, Danae the annunciation and Magdalene the repentance. Success is immediate and in the practice of his time the artist himself will paint a few copies.
The three original paintings of the Palazzo Sauli have long remained in the descendance of the patron. Danaë, oil on canvas 161 x 227 cm, was sold for $ 30.5M by Sotheby's on January 28, 2016, lot 41.
The princess lies on her unmade bed. She is nude excepted a veil of chastity. Cupid opens the curtains to let going the lightning of Jupiter in the form of a shower of golden coins and ribbons. The gesture of the young woman is peaceful and welcoming, with her arm raised in the same oblique direction as the movement of the fertilizing god disguised as gold.
Gentileschi had been too often described as a Caravaggian but his Danae is a masterpiece of late profane mannerism. I invite you to watch the video shared by Sotheby's where the monumental nature of the artwork is highlighted. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
The series of three paintings executed by Orazio Gentileschi from the 1621 commission for the Palazzo Sauli in Genova included a Maddalena penitente. This painting inspired from Correggio and Titian was sold for $ 4.9M by Sotheby's on January 26, 2023, lot 7.
The outstretched position of the bare breasted woman resting on her left elbow heightened on a plinth reminds the Danaë from the same provenance, sold for $ 30.5M by Sotheby's in 2016. They were not conceived as pendants : the Maddalena, oil on canvas 150 x 187 cm, is smaller.
The penitent is laying in the mountain cave and gazing to heaven inspired. The left elbow lays on an opened holy book with a skull on the ground below.
In 1621, he is invited by the wealthy Genovese merchant Giovanni Antonio Sauli, son of a former Doge of that city, to work in his palazzo as a painter and as an artistic adviser. Gentileschi executes three monumental paintings on the theme of mystical love, an excuse for displaying sensual nudes.
Sublimating the religions, the artist chooses his stories in the Old Testament, Christian parables and Greek myths. Lot's daughters symbolize the expectation, Danae the annunciation and Magdalene the repentance. Success is immediate and in the practice of his time the artist himself will paint a few copies.
The three original paintings of the Palazzo Sauli have long remained in the descendance of the patron. Danaë, oil on canvas 161 x 227 cm, was sold for $ 30.5M by Sotheby's on January 28, 2016, lot 41.
The princess lies on her unmade bed. She is nude excepted a veil of chastity. Cupid opens the curtains to let going the lightning of Jupiter in the form of a shower of golden coins and ribbons. The gesture of the young woman is peaceful and welcoming, with her arm raised in the same oblique direction as the movement of the fertilizing god disguised as gold.
Gentileschi had been too often described as a Caravaggian but his Danae is a masterpiece of late profane mannerism. I invite you to watch the video shared by Sotheby's where the monumental nature of the artwork is highlighted. The image is shared by Wikimedia.
The series of three paintings executed by Orazio Gentileschi from the 1621 commission for the Palazzo Sauli in Genova included a Maddalena penitente. This painting inspired from Correggio and Titian was sold for $ 4.9M by Sotheby's on January 26, 2023, lot 7.
The outstretched position of the bare breasted woman resting on her left elbow heightened on a plinth reminds the Danaë from the same provenance, sold for $ 30.5M by Sotheby's in 2016. They were not conceived as pendants : the Maddalena, oil on canvas 150 x 187 cm, is smaller.
The penitent is laying in the mountain cave and gazing to heaven inspired. The left elbow lays on an opened holy book with a skull on the ground below.
1623 Shakespeare's First Folio
2020 SOLD for $ 10M by Christie's
The Globe Theatre is created in 1599. It is managed by the actors of the Lord Chamberlain's Men company in the form of a share capital. William Shakespeare has little stake in this business but he is the principal author of the plays which are performed there.
This man of the stage died in 1616 without having paid attention to the literary value of his own works. Half of his plays were unpublished. The others had been issued as poor quality booklets of which we can be assume that they were not verified by the author.
John Heminges and Henry Condell, who owned overall half of the shares of the Globe Theatre, judiciously decided to reconstruct with the best possible accuracy the whole of Shakespeare's dramatic work. They knew 36 plays of which 18 had never been published. They will have to buy back the publishing rights to some of them and to retrieve the partial manuscripts that had been entrusted to the actors to perform their own role.
The print is of the top luxury, in relation to the literary magnificence of the work. What would later be called the First Folio is a superb volume of 454 leaves 32 x 21 cm, printed in 1623 by Jaggard and Blount. It is forever used as the top reference for any Shakespearean scholarship.
The production run of the First Folio is estimated at around 750 copies. About 220 survive today. 56 are complete, of which only 5 are in private hands. All but six are from the third issue when the content was frozen and the error of a redundant page has been corrected.
Shakespeare is the greatest success in English literature and editions are multiplying. Garrick puts Shakespeare still higher in fashion and Edmond Malone devotes his life to the study of his work. Malone proposes in 1778 a chronology of the plays, observes the literary greatness of the First Folio and has a new edition published in 1790.
On October 14, 2020, Christie's sold a complete copy of the First Folio for $ 10M from a lower estimate of $ 4M, lot 12. In 1809 its owner had submitted it to Malone's appreciation just before having it bound. The expert's autograph letter is joined to the volume. Malone found it to be a fine, genuine copy of the First Folio. A few small repairs will be carried out according to his recommendations. This copy has retained the cleanliness observed by Malone more than 200 years ago.
This man of the stage died in 1616 without having paid attention to the literary value of his own works. Half of his plays were unpublished. The others had been issued as poor quality booklets of which we can be assume that they were not verified by the author.
John Heminges and Henry Condell, who owned overall half of the shares of the Globe Theatre, judiciously decided to reconstruct with the best possible accuracy the whole of Shakespeare's dramatic work. They knew 36 plays of which 18 had never been published. They will have to buy back the publishing rights to some of them and to retrieve the partial manuscripts that had been entrusted to the actors to perform their own role.
The print is of the top luxury, in relation to the literary magnificence of the work. What would later be called the First Folio is a superb volume of 454 leaves 32 x 21 cm, printed in 1623 by Jaggard and Blount. It is forever used as the top reference for any Shakespearean scholarship.
The production run of the First Folio is estimated at around 750 copies. About 220 survive today. 56 are complete, of which only 5 are in private hands. All but six are from the third issue when the content was frozen and the error of a redundant page has been corrected.
Shakespeare is the greatest success in English literature and editions are multiplying. Garrick puts Shakespeare still higher in fashion and Edmond Malone devotes his life to the study of his work. Malone proposes in 1778 a chronology of the plays, observes the literary greatness of the First Folio and has a new edition published in 1790.
On October 14, 2020, Christie's sold a complete copy of the First Folio for $ 10M from a lower estimate of $ 4M, lot 12. In 1809 its owner had submitted it to Malone's appreciation just before having it bound. The expert's autograph letter is joined to the volume. Malone found it to be a fine, genuine copy of the First Folio. A few small repairs will be carried out according to his recommendations. This copy has retained the cleanliness observed by Malone more than 200 years ago.
Only five complete copies of the 'First Folio' remain in private hands, and on 24 April in #NewYork, Christie’s will offer the first complete copy to come on the market in almost two decades during our #ExceptionalSale. https://t.co/orNUeX30H0 pic.twitter.com/k90SszIXD0
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) February 25, 2020
1624 Peasant Music at the Time of ter Brugghen
2009 SOLD 10 M$ including premium
The January sales of ancient art at Sotheby's in New York always include exceptional works by great artists. The January 29 auction will be no exception.
The cover of the catalog, however, is entrusted to a master who is not among the best known to the public: Hendrick ter Brugghen.
His oil on canvas 101 x 83 cm, signed and dated 1624, shows a bagpipe player. The auction house said that it was once the pendant of a lute player. Opening the Wikipedia, the artist offers us a flute player. The common characteristics between them is that they show popular instruments far from the luxurious subjects of many other artists.
Each of these musicians is represented alone with his instrument, against a neutral background. The simple beret, the badly cut beard and the naked shoulder of the bagpiper describe a musician of the peasant class. The effects of shadows and light give him presence and even psychology.
Indeed ter Brugghen, who worked in Utrecht, may have known Caravaggio on a trip to Rome and was one of his first followers. The ancient paintings of Caravagesque style are rare in the market, and prices are always high. It is estimated $ 4 million.
POST SALE COMMENT
It was the masterpiece of this great sale. It sold $ 10 million including premium, well above its high estimate.
It had earned the honors of the cover of the catalog.
The cover of the catalog, however, is entrusted to a master who is not among the best known to the public: Hendrick ter Brugghen.
His oil on canvas 101 x 83 cm, signed and dated 1624, shows a bagpipe player. The auction house said that it was once the pendant of a lute player. Opening the Wikipedia, the artist offers us a flute player. The common characteristics between them is that they show popular instruments far from the luxurious subjects of many other artists.
Each of these musicians is represented alone with his instrument, against a neutral background. The simple beret, the badly cut beard and the naked shoulder of the bagpiper describe a musician of the peasant class. The effects of shadows and light give him presence and even psychology.
Indeed ter Brugghen, who worked in Utrecht, may have known Caravaggio on a trip to Rome and was one of his first followers. The ancient paintings of Caravagesque style are rare in the market, and prices are always high. It is estimated $ 4 million.
POST SALE COMMENT
It was the masterpiece of this great sale. It sold $ 10 million including premium, well above its high estimate.
It had earned the honors of the cover of the catalog.
1624 Cycle of the Seasons by Pieter Brueghel the younger
2016 SOLD for £ 6.5M including premium by Christie's
narrated in 2021
The occupations of the months are often illustrated in the books of hours next to the calendar pages. This is a logical theme for Pieter Bruegel, who specializes in scenes from rural life. In 1565 he paints a set of six oils on panel in very large size, each featuring two months.
The next cycle is a set of four prints on the seasons. The edition, in 1570, includes two works prepared by Hans Bol after Bruegel's death.
Pieter the Younger reuses most of the iconography left by his father. He makes complete sets of the cycle of the seasons, most of which have been dissociated.
Much to the frustration of experts, the only complete example in private hands had not been seen since an auction in Switzerland in 1927. It was sold by Christie's on July 7, 2016 for £ 6.5M including premium from a lower estimate of £ 3M, lot 6, after having been kept aside in a collection for nine decades.
The set consists of four oils on panel 42 x 57 cm each. Two are dated 1624. The four are signed P. Breughel, according to the alteration of his name which he was using since 1616. The arrangement of the signatures and dates suggests that this group was designed to be hung as a 2 x 2 square. The careful and homogeneous workmanship of these four paintings and the identification of the date, very rare for Pieter the Younger, attest to the importance the artist attached to this specific set.
The next cycle is a set of four prints on the seasons. The edition, in 1570, includes two works prepared by Hans Bol after Bruegel's death.
Pieter the Younger reuses most of the iconography left by his father. He makes complete sets of the cycle of the seasons, most of which have been dissociated.
Much to the frustration of experts, the only complete example in private hands had not been seen since an auction in Switzerland in 1927. It was sold by Christie's on July 7, 2016 for £ 6.5M including premium from a lower estimate of £ 3M, lot 6, after having been kept aside in a collection for nine decades.
The set consists of four oils on panel 42 x 57 cm each. Two are dated 1624. The four are signed P. Breughel, according to the alteration of his name which he was using since 1616. The arrangement of the signatures and dates suggests that this group was designed to be hung as a 2 x 2 square. The careful and homogeneous workmanship of these four paintings and the identification of the date, very rare for Pieter the Younger, attest to the importance the artist attached to this specific set.
The Four Seasons: Spring; Summer; Autumn; and Winter by Pieter Brueghel II sells
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) July 7, 2016
over estimate achieving £6,466,500 pic.twitter.com/ct1E886gXK
1626 A Mannerist Bronze atop a Fountain
2014 SOLD for $ 28M including premium
Christie's had cancelled the sale of a bronze by Adriaen de Vries just before the auction that had been scheduled for July 7, 2011, for reasons related to the export of the item. Here is the press releasewhich was issued by Christie's for announcing the 2011 sale.
It is now listed by Christie's for sale in New York on December 11, lot 10 estimated $ 15M.
Here is my 2011 discussion (slightly reworded) introducing this lot:
During a routine visit to a castle in 2010, the expert from Christie's takes a look at the fountain in the middle of the yard. Thus a previously unknown masterpiece enters the art history.
The bronze 109 cm high adorning the top of the fountain had been in that place for at least 300 years. It is signed by Adriaen de Vries and dated 1626, the year of the artist's death.
Influenced by Giambologna, De Vries was spreading the new fashion for mannerism. Their bronzes give life to muscular bodies twisted in expressive attitudes inspired by antiquity, and which will be much later admired by Rodin.
The theme of the artwork is a naked standing mythological figure carrying a globe. This statue is shown on the article shared in 2011 by Antique Trader.
De Vries is particularly known for his statues for gardens and fountains. Working in Prague for the Emperor Rudolf II, he remained in that city after the death of his patron and accepted private commissions.
The arrival of such a lot on the art market is exceptional. We must go back over twenty years ago to find another authentic bronze by this artist. On 7 December 1989, the Getty bought at Sotheby's for £ 6.8 million including premium a Dancing faun 76 cm high.
It is now listed by Christie's for sale in New York on December 11, lot 10 estimated $ 15M.
Here is my 2011 discussion (slightly reworded) introducing this lot:
During a routine visit to a castle in 2010, the expert from Christie's takes a look at the fountain in the middle of the yard. Thus a previously unknown masterpiece enters the art history.
The bronze 109 cm high adorning the top of the fountain had been in that place for at least 300 years. It is signed by Adriaen de Vries and dated 1626, the year of the artist's death.
Influenced by Giambologna, De Vries was spreading the new fashion for mannerism. Their bronzes give life to muscular bodies twisted in expressive attitudes inspired by antiquity, and which will be much later admired by Rodin.
The theme of the artwork is a naked standing mythological figure carrying a globe. This statue is shown on the article shared in 2011 by Antique Trader.
De Vries is particularly known for his statues for gardens and fountains. Working in Prague for the Emperor Rudolf II, he remained in that city after the death of his patron and accepted private commissions.
The arrival of such a lot on the art market is exceptional. We must go back over twenty years ago to find another authentic bronze by this artist. On 7 December 1989, the Getty bought at Sotheby's for £ 6.8 million including premium a Dancing faun 76 cm high.
1626-1627 A Youthful Master in Leiden
2012 SOLD 8.4 M£ including premium
In 1626/1627, Rembrandt was operating a studio in Leiden, his hometown, in cooperation with Jan Lievens. Both artists, aged 20, had been apprentices with Pieter Lastman in Amsterdam, and were already known for their immense talent.
Rembrandt wants to show his skills as a portraitist and specializes in tronies, these anonymous figures of characters showing varied human types. To win clients, he endeavours to show that he is mastering the technique of painting, the composition, and of course these contrasts of light and shadow made popular by Caravaggio and his followers.
On July 3 in London, Christie's sells the bust portrait of a soldier, a small panel 40 x 29 cm estimated £ 8M. Of course, the character is not identifiable, nor the origin of his uniform.
The chiaroscuro is particularly marked in this work, where half of the face is in the shadow of the wide hat. The realism of this heavy face is pretty neat. Whether you are beautiful or ugly, your best portrait will be done by the specialist, Harmensz Rembrandt van Rijn.
POST SALE COMMENT
Good price slightly below the lower estimate for this early work by Rembrandt: £ 8.4 million including premium.
I invite you to watch the video shared by Christie's.
The image below is shared by Wikimedia.
Rembrandt wants to show his skills as a portraitist and specializes in tronies, these anonymous figures of characters showing varied human types. To win clients, he endeavours to show that he is mastering the technique of painting, the composition, and of course these contrasts of light and shadow made popular by Caravaggio and his followers.
On July 3 in London, Christie's sells the bust portrait of a soldier, a small panel 40 x 29 cm estimated £ 8M. Of course, the character is not identifiable, nor the origin of his uniform.
The chiaroscuro is particularly marked in this work, where half of the face is in the shadow of the wide hat. The realism of this heavy face is pretty neat. Whether you are beautiful or ugly, your best portrait will be done by the specialist, Harmensz Rembrandt van Rijn.
POST SALE COMMENT
Good price slightly below the lower estimate for this early work by Rembrandt: £ 8.4 million including premium.
I invite you to watch the video shared by Christie's.
The image below is shared by Wikimedia.
1627-1972 The Taj Mahal of Elizabeth Taylor
2011 SOLD for $ 8.8M including premium by Christie's
narrated in 2021
The ideal art, which makes the whole world dream, must evoke love, death and wealth at the same time. Adding elegance and monumentality, I described the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum of the beloved wife of Shah Jahan.
In 1972, for Elizabeth Taylor's 40th birthday, Richard Burton humorously declares that he would have liked to offer her the Taj Mahal but that the monument was not transportable. The real gift is an evocation of it : a Mughal piece of jewelry, which Burton had bought for around £ 350K.
This jewel is centered with a large heart-shaped diamond inserted in a surrounding of same shape in red stones, jade and small diamonds. The diamond is inscribed in Persian : Nur Jahan Baygum Padshah, 23, 1037. The ribbon for using it as a pendant is faded. Liz Taylor has it replaced by Cartier with a gold chain terminated by a fraying of gold threads bearing rubies.
In the Hegira calendar, 1037, corresponding to 1627 CE, is the year of Jahangir's death in the 23rd year of his reign and thus marks the end of the long recency of his wife Nur Jahan. Shah Jahan is the son and successor of Jahangir.
On December 13, 2011, in the auction by Christie's of Elizabeth Taylor's estate, this jewel designated as the Taj Mahal was sold for $ 8.8M including premium from a lower estimate of $ 300K, lot 56.
After the sale, the buyer, who remained anonymous, understands that there is no evidence that the Taj Mahal jewel was ever in the hands of Jahangir or Shah Jahan. He is an important customer and Christie's is attempting to cancel the sale of this lot. The trust in charge of the actress's estate opposed it in 2015 and 2017 by legal complaints, arguing the absence of irregularity. The end of the story is not known.
In 1972, for Elizabeth Taylor's 40th birthday, Richard Burton humorously declares that he would have liked to offer her the Taj Mahal but that the monument was not transportable. The real gift is an evocation of it : a Mughal piece of jewelry, which Burton had bought for around £ 350K.
This jewel is centered with a large heart-shaped diamond inserted in a surrounding of same shape in red stones, jade and small diamonds. The diamond is inscribed in Persian : Nur Jahan Baygum Padshah, 23, 1037. The ribbon for using it as a pendant is faded. Liz Taylor has it replaced by Cartier with a gold chain terminated by a fraying of gold threads bearing rubies.
In the Hegira calendar, 1037, corresponding to 1627 CE, is the year of Jahangir's death in the 23rd year of his reign and thus marks the end of the long recency of his wife Nur Jahan. Shah Jahan is the son and successor of Jahangir.
On December 13, 2011, in the auction by Christie's of Elizabeth Taylor's estate, this jewel designated as the Taj Mahal was sold for $ 8.8M including premium from a lower estimate of $ 300K, lot 56.
After the sale, the buyer, who remained anonymous, understands that there is no evidence that the Taj Mahal jewel was ever in the hands of Jahangir or Shah Jahan. He is an important customer and Christie's is attempting to cancel the sale of this lot. The trust in charge of the actress's estate opposed it in 2015 and 2017 by legal complaints, arguing the absence of irregularity. The end of the story is not known.
1627-1629 St John the Evangelist by Domenichino
2009 SOLD 9.2 M£ including premium
Domenico Zampieri, better known as Domenichino, was born in Bologna in 1581. In that city he was naturally a student and collaborator of the Carracci. Like them, he reacts against mannerism with a simple style and sharp colors. His themes show no originality, but his careful work makes him one of the best artists of his time.
Painter of religious subjects, he was especially a fresco artist, and so was accustomed to very large sizes. The St John the Evangelist I am discussing today is 2.5 x 2 meters, a monumental dimension for an ancient canvas.
The saint in a red dress is in an attitude of a preacher or a teacher, confirmed as such by the two inevitable symbolic putti wearing open books.
This painting was regarded in the eighteenth century as a masterpiece of one of the greatest masters, but fashions change and Domenichino ceased to be so flattered. The scarcity of old works of this size on the market justifies the estimate that Christie's now let filtering before issuing their official release: £ 10 million in London on December 8. This amount is probably the high estimate.
It has the advantage of being fresh on the market, as it belonged to the same family for one hundred years.
The probable date of the artwork falls between 1627 and 1629.
The lower estimate is 7 M£.
POST SALE COMMENT
This painting was one of three major lots in the sale of ancient art by Christie's in London. It was sold £ 9.2 million including premium.
The image is shared by Wikimedia.
Painter of religious subjects, he was especially a fresco artist, and so was accustomed to very large sizes. The St John the Evangelist I am discussing today is 2.5 x 2 meters, a monumental dimension for an ancient canvas.
The saint in a red dress is in an attitude of a preacher or a teacher, confirmed as such by the two inevitable symbolic putti wearing open books.
This painting was regarded in the eighteenth century as a masterpiece of one of the greatest masters, but fashions change and Domenichino ceased to be so flattered. The scarcity of old works of this size on the market justifies the estimate that Christie's now let filtering before issuing their official release: £ 10 million in London on December 8. This amount is probably the high estimate.
It has the advantage of being fresh on the market, as it belonged to the same family for one hundred years.
The probable date of the artwork falls between 1627 and 1629.
The lower estimate is 7 M£.
POST SALE COMMENT
This painting was one of three major lots in the sale of ancient art by Christie's in London. It was sold £ 9.2 million including premium.
The image is shared by Wikimedia.
1628 Pair of Portraits by van Dyck
2021 SOLD for £ 6.2M by Sotheby's
A pair of three quarter length portraits in oil on canvases 95 x 75 cm was sold for £ 6.2M from a lower estimate of £ 4M by Sotheby's on December 8, 2021, lot 6. Their masterly execution make them unquestionably attributed to Anthony Van Dyck.
The couple was identified as Jacob and Maria de Witte from a coat of arms for the husband and from crests. Jacob was a notary in Antwerp, so it makes no doubt that the work was made when the artist was in his home city.
Jacob and Maria married in 1618. The assumption of a later execution is relevant. Temporarily back from London for his second Antwerp period, Van Dyck was very active as a portraitist around 1628. He was then taking the unusual practice of positioning the wife on the left side, which is the case in this pair. Nevertheless their voluminous ruffs was already out of fashion at that time, superseded by more flexible Flemish ruffs.
The pair had surfaced in Antwerp in 1899. The paint was beautifully preserved under some repaints and coatings. When the unnecessary layers were removed, it was found that the hands of both characters had not been finished by the master and the identifying crests had been added in period by another painter.
The couple was identified as Jacob and Maria de Witte from a coat of arms for the husband and from crests. Jacob was a notary in Antwerp, so it makes no doubt that the work was made when the artist was in his home city.
Jacob and Maria married in 1618. The assumption of a later execution is relevant. Temporarily back from London for his second Antwerp period, Van Dyck was very active as a portraitist around 1628. He was then taking the unusual practice of positioning the wife on the left side, which is the case in this pair. Nevertheless their voluminous ruffs was already out of fashion at that time, superseded by more flexible Flemish ruffs.
The pair had surfaced in Antwerp in 1899. The paint was beautifully preserved under some repaints and coatings. When the unnecessary layers were removed, it was found that the hands of both characters had not been finished by the master and the identifying crests had been added in period by another painter.
#AuctionUpdate These beautifully preserved portraits of Jacob de Witte & Maria Nutius are supreme examples of Sir Anthony van Dyck's proficiency as a portrait painter.
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) December 8, 2021
Last sold at Sotheby's in 1976 for £38,000, tonight they brought £6,172,800#SothebysMasters pic.twitter.com/l0NzKCTHNn
