Paintings

This magnificent oil on panel portrait, presented by Titan Fine Art, is a splendid example of the sumptuous female portraits that were painted for members of the upper echelons of society during the early part of the 1600’s. The artist has rendered this portrait with meticulous attention to detail and the surface effects of the fine materials. The elaborate lace coif and cuffs are painstakingly delineated, as is the bold black damask, and sumptuous gold decoration of her skirt and stomacher, which is wonderfully preserved and quite remarkable considering the age of the work and the fact that darker pigments are particularly vulnerable to fading and wear. This work with its spectacular depiction of costume is of absolute quality, it can be rated as one of the best works in the artist’s oeuvre and as such it is an important and splendid example of Dutch portraiture. The Dutch Golden Age of painting was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. Dutch explorers charted new territory and settled abroad. Trade by the Dutch East-India Company thrived, and war heroes from the naval battles were decorated and became national heroes. During this time, The Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world, creating a depth of realistic portraits of people and life in the area that has hardly been surpassed. The Golden Age painters depicted the scenes that their discerning new middleclass patrons wanted to see. This new wealth from merchant activities and exploration combined with a lack of church patronage, shifted art subjects away from biblical genres. Dress was a key component in portraits, and the exuberant attire reiterates the incredible wealth of this woman. The sitter will have visited the artist’s workshop and inspected examples on display. They would have chosen the size and the sort of composition and on that basis negotiated the price – which would have also been determined by the complexity of the clothing and the jewels that were to be depicted, and by the materials to be used. When all was considered, this portrait would have cost the sitter (or her husband) a substantial sum. The colour black was regarded as humble and devout yet at the same time refined and sophisticated and the most expensive colour of fabric to dye and to maintain. Citizens spent fortunes on beautiful black robes. Such uniformity must also have had a psychological side-effect and contributed to a sense of middle-class cohesion; the collective black of the well-to-do burgess class will have given its members a sense of solidarity. The colour was always an exciting one for artists and when this portrait was painted there were at least fifty shades of it, and as many different fabrics and accoutrements. Artists went to great lengths to depict the subtle nuances of the colour and the fabrics and textures and how they reflected light and it was an ideal background against which gold and crisp white lace could be juxtaposed to dramatic effect. The sitter is either a married women or a widower as is evident by the clothing that she wears and the position, toward her right, it is highly likely that this portrait was once a pendant that hung on the right-hand side of her husband’s portrait as was convention at the time. She wears a vlieger which was a type of sleeveless over-gown or cape worn by well-to-do married women in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Variations with short sleeves or high shoulder rolls are known. Sometimes sleeves were attached with aiglets, and often slits were made to allow belts or the hands to pass through. Three-piece vlieger costumes of this kind were standard items of clothing in portraits of the women of the civic elite in the period 1600-40 and was a variant of the Spanish ‘ropa’ and served as a trademark of well-to-do married burgher women. Girls and unmarried woman, including beguines, wore a bouwen (a dress with a fitted bodice and a skirt that was closed all round) instead. This clear distinction between apparel for married and unmarried women is clear not only from inventories and trousseau lists, but also from contemporary sources such as the Dutch Spanish dictionary published by Juan Rodrigues in 1634. In it, a bouwen is described as a ‘ropa de donzella’ (over-gown worn by a virgin) and a vlieger as a ‘ropa de casada’ (overgown worn by a married woman). It is striking how few women are depicted wearing a bouwen, unless they are part of a group, family or children’s portrait and it can therefore be assumed that independent portraits of unmarried women were seldom commissioned. It is also believed that the clothing worn in these portraits existed and were faithfully reproduced when cross-referenced with the few exact documents. These sources also demonstrate that clients wanted their clothing to be depicted accurately and with this in mind precious garments and jewels were often left in the painter’s studio. The prominent white lawn molensteenkraag (or millstone ruff) is held up by a wire supportasse and was reserved only for the citizens that could afford this luxurious item that often required 15 meters of linen batiste. The fabulous wealth of this sitter is also evident by the elaborate lace coif and cuffs which have been exquisitely depicted; lace was often literally copied by artists in thin white lines over the completed clothing. The gold bracelet with jewels is a type that was evidently fashionable as it is seen in a number of portraits during the 1610s and 1620. Clothing and jewellery were prized possessions and were often listed in inventories of estates and passed down from generation to generation. There were a great number of jewellers of Flemish origin working at all the courts and cities of Europe, competing with the Italians, and then the French, adapting themselves to the tastes and positions of their patrons and the raw materials available in the country where they worked. The fashion for jewels “in the Flemish style” succeeded that of the Italian style. Cornelis van der Voort, who was probably born in Antwerp around 1576, came to Amsterdam with his parents as a child. His father, a cloth weaver by trade, received his citizenship in 1592. It is not known who taught the young Van der Voort to paint, but it has been suggested that it was either Aert Pietersz or Cornelis Ketel. On 24 October 1598 Van der Voort became betrothed to Truytgen Willemsdr. After his first wife’s death he became betrothed to Cornelia Brouwer of Dordrecht in 1613. In addition to being an artist, Van der Voort was an art collector or dealer, or both. In 1607 he bought paintings from the estate of Gillis van Coninxloo, and after an earlier sale in 1610 a large number of works he owned were auctioned on 7 April 1614. Van der Voort is documented as appraising paintings in 1612, 1620 and 1624. In 1615 and 1619 he was warden of the Guild of St Luke. He was buried in Amsterdam’s Zuiderkerk on 2 November 1624, and on 13 May 1625 paintings in his estate were sold at auction. Van der Voort was one of Amsterdam’s leading portrait painters in the first quarter of the 17th century. Several of his group portraits are known. It is believed that he trained Thomas de Keyser (1596/97-1667) and Nicolaes Eliasz Pickenoy (1588-1650/56). His documented pupils were David Bailly (c. 1584/86-1657), Louis du Pré...

New Forest,Hampshire, 19th century,landscape oil, by Frederick Golden Short A fine small framed landscape oil painting on canvas of the new forest in hampshire with ponies by Frede...

Presented by Titan Fine Art, this elegant and beautiful portrait depicts Abigail Hay, Lady Dupplin, Countess of Kinnoull; it is an excellent example of English portraiture from the f...

English painter (19th century) - Rider and hunting greyhounds. 28 x 22 cm without frame, 40 x 33 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on wood, in a gilded wooden frame. Condition r...

Adorable 19th century cat painting "Le Chat" painted by Alexandre Clarys This mesmerising cat gazes intently at the viewer, whilst the artist has captured his fluffy fur and sparkl...

Portrait of a Gentleman wearing a Ruff Collar Dutch/ French artist, 18th century oil painting on copper, unframed copper board : 6.75 x 5 inches provenance: private collection, UK co...

Northern painter active in Rome in the second half of the 17th century, View of Ponte Milvio Oil painting on canvas 73 x 97 cm in coeval Roman Salvator Rosa frame.

Charles Euphrasie KUWASSEG Draveil (Essonne), 1833 – Paris, 1904 Oil on wooden panel Signed and dated lower right “C. Kuwasseg fils / July 57” 36 x 28 cm (42 x 36 cm with the frame)...

Theseus Temple, Athens early 1800's Italian artist oil on canvas laid over board, framed framed: 9 x 12.75 inches board: 6.75 x 10.75 inches provenance: private collection, UK condit...

Joseph van Bredael 1688-1739 Flemish The Adoration of the Magi Oil on copper Painted on copper and exhibiting an exquisite luminosity, this exceptional painting...

Victor LEFRANC Paris, 1812 - ? Oil on paper 33 x 42 cm (44 x 52 cm with frame) Inscription on the verso 'Tancarville / 1839" and stamp from the Georges Lhoste collection Painter of ...

Style of Francesco Guardi (1712-1793) Venetian Canal Scenes, a pair -San Giorgio Maggiore from the Bacino di San Marco -Santa Maria della Salute from the Grand Canal Oils on canvas: 13 X 18 ¼ in. Frame: 18 ½ x 23 ½ in. Late 18th / early 19th century. Francesco Guardi was an Italian painter of veduta, nobleman, and a member of the Venetian School. He was born in Venice in 1712, the son of a minor painter, Domenico Guardi, and went on to become, after Canaletto, the main painter of views of Venice in the mid-18th century. His early figurative paintings were carried out in association with his brother, Gian Antonio, but in about 1760 Guardi turned to view painting, recording both the architecture of the city and the celebrations of its inhabitants in interior and exterior scenes. These works brought him great success. The earliest of these show the influence of Canaletto, but he gradually adopted a looser style characterized by spirited brush-strokes and freely imagined architecture. Gallery notes: This fabulous pair of Venetian scenes are a work by a highly talented but unknown artist painting...

Gaspare Diziani (Belluno 1689 - Venice 1767) Portrait of a Young Princess (Salome?) Oil on canvas 42 x 33 cm Framed 70 x 63 cm A charming portrait of a beautiful young woman with ...

French painter (19th century) - The arrival of the letter from the suitor. 35.5 x 29 cm without frame, 52.5 x 46.5 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a contemporary ...

“Timete Deum et date Illi honorem quia venit hora iudicii Eius” (Fear the Lord and honour Him, for the hour of His judgement has come): the passage from John's Apocalypse (chapter 14...

Italian painter (early 18th century) - Four Evangelists. 25.5 x 19 cm without frame, 29 x 22.5 cm with frame. Ancient oil painting on panel. in wooden frames. Condition report: In...

The Italian Classical Landscape Italian artist, circa 1800's oil on canvas laid on board, framed framed: 9.5 x 13 inches board: 7 x 11 inches provenance: private collection condition...

Dimensions: 165 x 123 cm without frame - 194 x 152 cm with frame Black painted, carved, sculpted and guilloché wooden frame, gilded parts in the inner groove. Publications: unpubl...

The Battle of the Novogorodians with the Suzdalians 16th century Size 50.5 x 47.5 x 3 cm. The icon is located in the Russian Federation. There is an expert opinion from leading R...

Matthias de Visch (La Reninge, 1701 - Bruges, 1765) Signed and dated on the edge of the globe: M. De Visch 1739. Allegory of the triumph of Art over Time (Music and Astrology that c...

Moody landscape in neutral sepia tones of a deserted western ghost town by Joseph Bodner (American, 1925-1982). Signed "Bodner" in block letters in the l...

Dimensions: 41 x 32 cm without frame - 47 x 55.5 cm with frame Antique box frame made of solid wood and walnut burl. Publications: unpublished The painting by Bernardino Detti (14...

Dimensions: 50 x 80 cm without frame, 70 x 100 cm with frame. Gilded, carved, sculpted and chiselled wooden box frames. Publications: Jacob de Heusch (1656 – 1701). Un pittore ol...

Francesco Foschi (Ancona, 1710 - Rome, 1780) Attributable Winter landscape Oil on canvas 76 x 63 cm. - In frame 87 x 75 cm. The compositional and stylistic elements of this pleasan...

Oil on panel In the refined strokes of a 17th-century Dutch artist, a captivating still life unfolds, showcasing a meticulous arrangement of culinary delights that transcend the mun...

Francis Sartorius (1734-1804) A horse and groom with a dog signed 'F.Sartorius.Pinxt' (lower right) Oil on canvas Canvas Size - 14 1/4 x 18 in Framed Size - 16 1/2 x 19 1/2 in Franc...

The Penitent Saint Italian artist, 17th century oil on copper panel, framed framed: 10 x 8 inches copper panel : 7.5 x 5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very...

Thomas Buttersworth (1768-1842) Shipping in choppy coastal waters signed and dated lower left Oil on canvas Canvas Size - 9 x 12 1/2 in Framed Size - 13 x 16 1/2 Immerse yourself in...

“A portrait of three children, one of them holding a basket of grapes, while another plays the flute” Oil on canvas Housed in a blackened 17th-century frame. We'd like to thank dr...

Oil on panel Signed lower right At the forefront, a child barely reaching the height of the table, sits upon a modest chair, engaged in her simple meal. Her youthful visage captivat...

19th century Dutch romantic painting of animals resting in their pasture by Jan Van Ravenswaay Jan van Ravenswaay was a prominent Dutch painter of the 19th century, recognized for h...

David Teniers II, the Younger(Antwerp, 1610 - Brussels, 1690) Workshop of The Temptations of St. Anthony Abbot Oil on canvas 61 x 90 cm. - Framed 95 x 125 cm. The evocative theme o...

Large 17th century Italian old master - Noli me tangere - Christ in the garden with Mary Magdalene The Italian art historian Federico Zeri has conserved a painting in his archives w...

John Rathbone (1750-1807) View at Tivoli Signed lower right Oil on Canvas Canvas size - 18 x 24 in Framed size - 24 x 30 in John Rathbone was born in Cheshire in 1750 and worked as ...

Oil on panel Signed and dated lower left. Quiringh van Brekelenkam was a Dutch genre painter, who studied under Gerard Dou. As a result, his paintings from the 1640s and 50s are si...

Italian painter (19th century) - Memento Mori. 43 x 67 cm without frame, 48.5 x 72.5 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on wood, in a wooden frame. Condition report: Original can...

Figure in Arcadian Landscape French School, 18th century oil on canvas, framed framed: 10 x 12 inches canvas : 6.5 x 9 inches provenance: private collection condition: very good and ...

Romantic painter (19th century) - The Lutist. 72 x 57 cm without frame, 85.5 x 69.5 cm with frame. Antique oil painting on canvas, in a gilded wooden frame. Condition report: Orig...

In 1607, the Delft city council decided to commission a portrait of Stadholder Maurits of Nassau for the town hall, with Michiel van Mierevelt as the chosen artist due to the passing...

Figures in a Chateau Parkland Court Setting Dutch Golden Age, early 1600's period circle of David Vinckboons (Dutch 1576-1632) oil painting on canvas, unframed canvas measures: 55 x ...

Seagulls in the snow. 1994. Canvas, oil, 70x112 cm

Nicolas Poussin (Les Andelys 1594 - Rome 1665) Workshop of Little Moses found by Pharaoh's daughter Oil painting on canvas Measurements: canvas 45 x 59 cm., in frame 57 x 71 cm. We present this splendid work representing the episode, taken from the Old Testament, of the finding of little Moses by the daughter of the Pharaoh (Exodus 2, 1-10), and which reveals from the first glance the unequivocal pictorial style of the painter. Nicolas Poussin (Les Andelys 1594 - Rome 1665). Poussin spent most of his life in Rome giving life to works capable of fusing the ideal of French classicism...

Francis Sartorius (1734-1804) A horse and groom with a dog signed and dated 'F.Sartorius.Pinxt.1777' (lower right) Oil on canvas Canvas Size - 14 1/4 x 18 in Framed Size - 16 1/2 x 1...

Portrait of a Lady English School, 18th century oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 31 x 25 inches provenance: private collection, UK condition: good and sound condition

Mother & Child British artist, late 18th century after the painting by Sir Anthony van Dyke oil on canvas, unframed canvas : 20 x 18 inches provenance: private collection, Berkshire,...

98 x 36 cm each without frame - 112 x 50 cm with frame Antique gilded and shaped wooden box frames Expertise by Prof. Giancarlo Sestieri This marvellous pair of flower vases has b...

William Jones (c.1798-1860) Two spaniels working with a huntsman beyond Oil on canvas Canvas Size - 16 x 21 in Framed Size - 21 x 26 in William Jones’s work is well-known, emanating...

Formerly Canesso Collection, Paris. Publications: Bozzetti, modelletti, sketches: dalla collezione di Giorgio Baratti (From the Giorgio Baratti Collection) curated by Anna Orlando, ...

Francesco Graziani, known as Ciccio Napoletano (active in Naples and Rome in the second half of the 17th century) Battle with clash of horsemen Oil on canvas 95 x 130 cm In period ...

We are pleased to present this exquisite piece by Swedish artist Wilhelm Dahlbom, entitled "Moonlight, Idö, 1912". This work captures the serene reflection of moonlight on water, the...

17th century Flemish Old Master - Orpheus charming the animals with his music The present painting is full of delightful details, such as the unicorn galloping in the distance, the ...

Circle of Thomas Hudson (1701-1779) British. 18th Century Bust Portrait of a Lady, Oil on Canvas, Inscribed on a label verso, canvas: 30" x 25" (76.2 x 63.5cm). frame: 30 x 25 in...

Antonio del Ceraiolo or 'the Ceraiolo (Active in Florence, second-fourth decade of the 16th century) Attributable The Annunciation Oil on canvas 99 x 137 cm. In a fine period box f...

Arthur William Devis. English ( b.1762 - d.1822 ). Portrait of Charlotte Shore, Daughter of the 1st Lord Teignmouth 1790 - 1864. Oil on Canvas. Oval Image size 26.2 inches x 20.5 in...

Christ and the Samaritan woman at the well Attributable to Ludovico Pozzoserrato (Antwerp circa 1550 - Treviso 1605) Oil on the table 37 x 27 cm., In ...

José Puyet Padilla (1922-2004) - La rondeña - Oil on burlap Oil measurements 81x65 cm. Some areas with cracked oil paint. Frameless. Puyet was born in Malaga, Spain. He was the gran...

Thomas Smith of Derby (c. 1710-1767) View of Shipping on the River Avon from Durdham Down, near Bristol, 1756 Oil on canvas Canvas size - 20 x 47 in Framed size - 26 x 53 in Provena...

‘Une Affection Tacite’ by Adèle Kindt (1804-1893). The painting – which depicts a young woman and her ardent admirer – is signed by the artist and dated 1862. Born into a family o...