16th Century Paintings

The painting features the enthroned Madonna and Child, two praying angels, and Saints Nicholas of Tolentino, Augustine, Luke the Evangelist, and Monica, below an elegant canopy. The ...

Circle of Amico Aspertini Oil on panel, 59x31 cm. Provenance: Asta Pandolfini 8 marzo 2023 lot. 47. He was born in Bologna to a family of painters (including Giovanni Antonio Asperti...

A rare & important Italian Renaissance tempera on parchment painting, Giuseppe Cesari Il Cavalier d'Arpino (Giuseppe Cesari, 1568-1640), the painting c...

Jan Van der Straet, known as Giovanni Stradano (Bruges 1523 - Florence 1605), Workshop of The Adoration of the Magi late 16th century - early 17th century oil painting on canvas Mea...

Luis de Morales, called 'El Divino' (Badajoz 1509 - 1586) workshop of La Pietà with Saint John Oil on panel (82 x 65 cm /In frame 109 x 92 cm) STATE OF CONSERVATION: The panel is in good condition, with restorations and cracks clearly visible from the pictures. Gilded and lacquered wooden frame, in good condition. We present this intense Pietà executed on wood panel, the work of a painter of the late Spanish Renaissance who drew on the celebrated iconographic model created by Luis de Morales, known as El Divino (Badajoz 1509-1586), a subject reproposed by the artist and then by his flourishing workshop in numerous versions. This is an extraordinary work, in which the author demonstrates incredible realism and emotional depth in his portrayal of the Madonna and Christ, accompanied by Saint John the Evangelist. In an extremely devout Spain, Luis de Morales counts himself as one of the painters most interested in the dramatic aspects of Christ's life, from his painful Passion journey to his death. This devotional subject, the Pieta, so frequent in Christian art, is renewed in Morales' art with enormous expressive force; it is not for nothing that the artist was nicknamed the Divine, and not only for the creation of a devotional iconography in line with the spirituality of the time, but also for the intrinsic intensity of his religious paintings. The depiction, to great dramatic effect, shows Christ, immediately after being deposed from the cross, gently welcomed into the arms of the Virgin. The intense maternal compassion is also evident in the expression on her face, which, always aware of her son's fate, exudes suffering, melancholy but also serene resignation. Christ, abandoned in his mother's embrace, shows an emaciated and sorrowful face, made even more ghostly by his half-open mouth. The tree of the cross looms over the figures, emphasised by an evocative dark, completely monochrome background, to which the three figures are contrasted with strong lighting. Evident in Morales' painting is the devotional slant typical of Counter-Reformation painting, accentuated by a style that recalls both Italian painting for its research and chiaroscuro effects, and Flemish and German painting for its strongly accentuated dramatic tones. The work shows a strong physical and psychological characterisation of the characters, rendered by the marked chiaroscuro effects and the plastic construction of the figures, also using a sfumato technique, which show the primary influence of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael and Sebastiano del Piombo. On the other hand, his Flemish training is evident in the anatomical modelling and treatment of the folds of the Virgin's dress, which retain the sharpness of the Nordic painting tradition. We can mention, among the most beautiful versions similar to our composition: - Fig.1 Luis de Morales (c. 1520-1586), La Piedad, c. 1568, Óleo sobre tabla 72 x 50 cm.
Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao - Fig.2 Luis de Morales, La Piedad, c. 1560, Óleo sobre tabla 126 x 98 cm.
Real Academia de Bellas - Fig.3 Luis de Morales, La Piedad, 1565 - 1570, Oil on panel 42 x 30 cm.
Museo del Prado - Fig.4 Luis de Morales, Triptych of the Pietà St John and St Mary Magdalene...

Follower of Paolo Veronese (Verona, 1528 - Venice, 1588) Allegory of wisdom and strength Oil on canvas, 48 x 36.5 cm Picture frame, 61 x 48 cm The Allegory of Wisdom and Strength...

Polidoro de Renzi known as Polidoro da Lanciano (Lanciano, 1515 - Venice, 1565) (attr.) Holy Family with San Giovannino Oil on canvas, 76 x 93 cm Framed, 88 x 104 cm The valuable...

Panel depicting the Holy Family with San Giovannino. At the center of the scene is the Virgin, with a red tunic and a blue cloak edged with gold embroidery,...

Portrait Of King Edward VI (1537-1553) as Prince Of Wales, 16th Century English School - Oil on panel - circa 1547 Large 16th Century portrait of Edward VI as Prince Of Wales, oil on panel. Early and important portrait...

Coronation Portrait Of King Edward VI (1537-1553) as King Of England & Ireland, 16th Century English School - Oil on panel - circa 1547 Large 16th Century Coronation portrait of Edward VI as King Of England & Ireland, oil on panel. Early and important portrait...

16th Century Venetian Maestro Title: Deposition of Christ Medium: Oil on panel Dimensions: without frame 40 x 25 cm Formerly Canesso Collection, Paris. Fairs: The International Biennial of Antiques in Florence 2022 (BIAF, Biennale Internazionale dell’Antiquariato di Firenze) Publications: Bozzetti, modelletti, sketches: dalla collezione di Giorgio Baratti (From the Giorgio Baratti Collection) curated by Anna Orlando, Agnese Marengo and Annalisa Scarpa, Genoa, 2022, pp. 22, 23. In this precious panel we can admire a lament over the body of Christ by a large group of bystanders among whom we can recognise the Virgin and, in the foreground, St Catherine of Alexandria...

Workshop of Maarten de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 - December 4, 1603) Christ mocked Oil on panel, 63 x 50 cm Framed, 80 x 100 cm The artist responsible for the execution of this painting...

The Return Of King Agamemnon, 16th Century circle of Frans I FLORIS (1516-1570) Large 16th Century Flemish Old Master depicting the return of King Agamemnon from the Trojan War, o...

The painting and the preparatory drawing are offered together. Provenance Private collection, Germany, Trier, c. 1980- 2013 Saint John the Baptist Brown ink and wash over red chalk on oatmeal paper 31 x 20.5 cm Inscribed: „Ferrau Fenzonio da Faenza invt. esque … imp. da Fran. Villamena …“. bears the collector's mark of Henry Scipio Reitlinger (1882-1950; Lugt 2274a) on a tiny label glued to the verso On the reverse is a partial drawing of a Pieta, pricked for transfer. Provenance New York, Doyle, 14. October 2015, No. 6 The painting and the preparatory drawing resemble the composition of an engraving after Ferraù Fenzoni by Francesco Villamena. Drawing, engraving and painting are almost identical, except for minor differences. Even the measurements nearly correspond: painting (32 x 25,5 cm), drawing (30 x 20,5 cm), engraving (31,1 x 23,5 cm). Dr. Guiseppe Scavizzi confirmed the attribution of the present panting to Fenzoni and he dates it to c. 1590. The inscription on the drawing reads “Ferrau Fenzonio da Faenza invt. esque. . . imp. da Fran: Villamena . . .”. The engraving’s inscription also lists place and date “Ferra Fensionius inventor/F. Villamoena sculpsit Rome/Aspectu fruitur… antra puer/cum Privilegio… 1613”. Interestingly, the engraving is not mirrored as it is in most printing processes. Painting, drawing and engraving are not reversed but the same. It is remarkable to note that there are further paintings by Fenzoni which were engraved in the same order and not reverted. They also show strong parallels regarding the compositions and the measurements (see for example “Deposition of Christ” ). Ferraù Fenzoni was an Italian painter mainly active in Todi. He is also called Il Faenzone after his birthplace (Faenza). He apprenticed in Rome during the papacy of Gregory XIII and contributed to numerous fresco cycles under pope Sixtus V, such as the Loggia della Benedizioni in the Lateran Palace, the frescoes on the walls and vaults of the Scala Santa of the adjacent Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, and the decoration in the Sistine library. His expressive canvases straddle the styles of Mannerism and Baroque. In 1594, he moved to Todi. A “Last Judgement” by him is housed in the cathedral of Todi. He returned to Faenza in 1599, where he decorated chapels in the cathedral from 1612 to 1616. In 1622, he completed a “Deposition”, now in the local Pinacoteca. In 1640, Fenzoni was named “cavaliere dello speron d’oro” by Cardinal Colonna and, on 25th April 1634, he was nominated vicar and “castellano of Granarolo”. Fenzoni‘s style is characterized by a mixture of the Mannerism of the Northern Netherlands and the Italian Baroque. Saint John the Baptist, Old Master, 17th Century, By Fenzoni, Religious Scene, Rome Art...

Christ and St John the Baptist embracing Studio of Joos van Cleve (1485 – 1541), Antwerp First half of 16th century Oil on oak panel, h. 55 cm, w. 43 cm A 17th century ebonized wood frame Framed: h. 100 cm, w. 83 cm Provenance: • Advertisement in Burlington Magazine, 1929, at the antique dealer Paul Larsen, 34 Duke's Street, London, United Kingdom • Clowes Sale, Christie's London, 7 July 1950, lot 153 (as Joos Van Cleve) • Acquired from the Katz antique dealers in Dieren (Netherlands) in the 1950s (one of the most important art galleries in the Netherlands specialising in Old Masters) • By descent, private European collection The composition of our painting depicting two naked babies embracing, Jesus and Saint John the Baptist, draws its source from a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, probably executed in Milan around 1490 (kept at Windsor Castle, United Kingdom). This scheme, widespread early in the Lombard school, was widely reproduced by Leonardo's Milanese followers (Marco d'Oggiono, Bernardino de Conti or Bernardino Luini.) It is very likely that Joos Van Cleve was inspired by one of the works of his artists during his stay in Italy, however some historians hypothesize that he borrowed the figures from the painting by Marco d'Oggiono who had copied it on site in Flanders (it would have belonged to Margaret of...

Saint Jerome in the desert Cercle of Lambert Van Noort (1520-1571, Antwerp) Antwerp School, mid-16th century Oil on oak panel. Dimensions: panel h. 69 cm (27.16 in), l. 52.5 cm (20.6...

Tuscan painter active towards the end of the 16th century Portrait of Captain Niccolò Orsini (Pitigliano, 1442 - Lonigo, 1510), count of Pitigliano and Nola. Tuscany, end of the 16th century Oil on canvas, 64 x 47 cm., Framed 89 x 73 cm. The portrait we present to you shows the effigy of a vigorous high-ranking male figure in armor, in the most typical Renaissance pose, half-length and taken in profile, with his face and gaze turned to the side; the serious and intense expression and the facial features evoke at first glance the portraiture of early Florentine mannerism. He is Niccolò III Orsini (Pitigliano, 1442 - Lonigo, 1510), count of Pitigliano and Nola and son of Aldobrandino Orsini, famous leader and captain (or capitano di ventura) who lived between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, who served for the state Pontifical in Naples and Florence and above all for the Republic of Venice. Portraiture with these characters, which derives from ancient coinage, was used in the sixteenth century in the sequences of Portraits of Illustrious Men, both in painting and in sculpture. The profile portrait was in fact a genre reserved, according to the Renaissance tradition, for celebrations, presenting those characteristics of imperturbability typical of the military role covered. Our painting is a work created by an author active in Tuscany towards the end of the sixteenth century, adhering to those pictorial styles made famous by the portraitist Cristofano di Papi dell'Altissimo (1530-1605), a pupil of Bronzino and then of Pontormo, known for having created a collection of about 500 portraits of illustrious men, known as the 'Gioviana Series' (now in the Uffizi Gallery); and among these it is possible to identify one dedicated to Niccolò Orsini. Our painting is inspired, in particular, by a print taken from the collection of prints...

Giacomo Stella (Brescia 1545 - Rome 1630) - Allegory of Time Indicating Truth, Oil painting on canvas, 192 x 74cm. - in golden frame 198 x 81 cm. The work is accompanied by a critic...

Oil on Canvas. Second half of the 16th century. The painting comes from the historical family collection of Count Castracane, as is documented by the original handwritten paper recei...

Portrait of Henry IV, King of England (1367-1413), 16th Century English School Portrait - Early Oil On Panel Large 16th Century court portrait of Henry IV, King Of England (1367-14...

Circle of Ridolfo Ghirlandaio 1483 - 1561 Oil on panel Image size: 20 ½ x 16 ½ inches (52 x 42 cm) Handmade contemporary style gilt frame The lamentation of Christ was one of the most popular scenes depicted in European art from the 11th to the 18th century. Depicting the lamentation or pieta from the Italian word for ‘Pity’ of Christ with Jesus’s mother Mary cradling his body. Christ is depicted nude, wearing only a blueish loincloth around his waist, a horizontal scar marking his rib cage. His head and torso are held upright, and his eyes are closed, his right arm lays to his side as does his left. Standing behind him, is the Virgin Mary, outfitted in her traditional dress of a robe with a white veil. She stands behind Christ and bends slightly, looking looking away from Christ to something that has caught her attention, her right hand holding his shoulder. Her left-hand carefully holds his arm. This work is quite unusual with Mary . This stunning work jumps out with its dark background and strong flesh colours. Ridolfo Ghirlandaio was the son of the eminent painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. Following his father’s death in 1494, when he was just eleven years old, Ridolfo is thought to have continued his training with his uncle Davide, who had taken over the Ghirlandaio workshop. Vasari noted that Ridolfo also studied with Fra Bartolommeo...

Giacomo Stella (Brescia 1545 - Rome 1630) Allegory of Wisdom (or prudence) Oil painting on canvas 193 x 75 cm., In frame 199 x 82 cm. The work is accompanied by critical study drawn...

Scipione Pulzone, called Il Gaetano (Gaeta 1544 - Rome 1598) - workshop of Portrait of Bianca Cappello (Venice, 1548 - 1587) Grand Duchess of Tuscany, second wife of Francesco I de 'Medici Second half of the 16th century oil on canvas, cm. 70 x 56 cm., Framed 103 x 87 cm. The proposed painting illustrates the portrait of Bianca Cappello (Venice, 1548 - 1587), a noblewoman of Venetian origins, second wife of the Grand Duke of Tuscany Francesco I de 'Medici, whose expressive power is wisely highlighted by the composite cut of light three quarters, with the head and gaze directed at the observer. The beam of light coming from her right brings out the volumes of her face plastically and lingers on her features, highlighted by the large white lace ruff that surrounds his neck and by the details of her precious clothing. Bianca wears a dark red dress, perhaps a zimarra, embroidered in gold with a plunging neckline and a raised collar of the shirt curled in a ruff and also edged with precious lace, embroidered with the motif of the Florentine lily.   The favorite jewels of the noblewoman were pearls: we see them on a choker that adorns the neckline, in the earrings and again in the hairstyle, which sees the hair gathered at the nape of the neck and adorned with a string of small black pearls and embellished with a clasp. It is a high-quality painting that can be confined to the workshop of the painter Scipione Pulzone called Gaetano, representing at best a pictorial genre, that of portraiture, in which the master excelled. This attribution would be confirmed by comparisons with the numerous portraits that Pulzone dedicated to the Medici family. Our painting, in particular, could represent one of the versions that the workshop has replicated, at the request of the numerous art collectors who wish to have a portrait of one of the most influential personalities of the Florentine scene. The characters drawn by Pulzone were icons of incomparable elegance: noblewomen, knights and religious lent their faces to the eye of the artist who was able to grasp every meticulous detail with his superb technique. A photographic wealth and surprising material attention that trace the pictorial prototypes of Flemish inspiration, in particular of Antonis Mor...

Crucifixion, cercle of Adriaen Isenbrandt, mid 16th century School of Bruges, cercle of Adriaen Isenbrandt (actif 1510-1551) Oil on oak panel with its original ebonized frame Dimensi...

Tempera on wood depicting a half-length female figure; she wears a red dress over a light-colored tunic, while a green drape rests on her right shoulder. The red hair is tied up with a central parting and is partly covered by a white headdress; the full face has an absorbed expression: a thoughtful gaze, arched eyebrows and slightly furrowed lips. Presented in a frame made with parts of an ancient larger frame. Historical-critical analysis: Our table in question is one of the numerous derivations from a lost fresco by Andrea del Sarto...

Oil on oak panel Image size: 20 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches (52 x 60 cm) Hand made frame Herri Met de Bles, also known as Henri Blès, Herri de Dinant and Herry de ...

Cristoforo (Cristofano) Roncalli (Pomarance, Italy, 1552 - Rome, Italy, 1626) Title: Saint Catherine of Siena chooses the crown of thorns Medium: Oil on wood Dimensions: without frame 101.5 x 59.5 cm - with frame 120 x 76 cm Shaped, carved and sculpted wooden cassetta frame, partly gilded and partly ebonized wood Expertise by Marco Ciampolini and Alessandro Nesi, art historians The marvellous scene that opens before our eyes is that of Christ's apparition to Saint Catherine of Siena; she must choose between a golden crown, the symbol of earthly royalty, and a crown of thorns, the symbol of virtuous Christian sacrifice. Catherine does not hesitate to choose the crown of thorns, her life in imitation of...

Francesco Zucco (Bergamo, c. 1570 - Bergamo, May 3, 1627) Crucifixion with saints Oil on canvas, 76 x 60 cm With frame 95 x 79 cm Critical Record Professor Giuseppe Sava The cru...

Beyond life-sized, allegorical, Renaissance figural oil painting of Summer, featuring a nymph recessed in an alcove, swathed in drapery, wearing a foliate crown. In her right hand, a...

Important late 16' early 17' century painting By Giovanni Battista Viola with finely carved gilt- wood frame. Landscape with a Mythological St...

Giovanni Maria Butteri (Florence, Italy, 1540 - 1606) Title: Portrait of Francesco I Medium: Oil on panel Dimensions: without frame cm. 47.7 x 39 - with frame cm. 55.2 x 46.5 Expertise by Carlo Falciani, art historian Fairs: The International Biennial of Antiques in Florence 2024 (BIAF, Biennale Internazionale dell’Antiquariato di Firenze) Publications: From Sacro to Profano, the Giorgio Baratti art collection from Milan, exhibition catalogue curated by Daiva Mitrulevičiūtė, Giovanni Matteo Guidetti and Ileana Maniscalco, (16 February – 27 September 2020), Vilnius, National Museum - Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, pp. 566-569. This valuable portrait, by the painter Giovanni Maria Butteri, an exponent of Mannerism and active mainly in Florence, portrays Francesco I de' Medici (1541 - 1587) eldest son of the Grand Duke of Tuscany...

The Blood Of Christ, The Milk Of The Madonna, 16th Century circle of Adriaen Isenbrandt (1480-1551) Huge 16th Century Flemish old Master depiction of...

Portrait Of Jeanne III d'Albret (1528-1572), 16th Century French School Court Portrait - oil on panel Fine 16th century French Old Master portrait of Jeanne III, Queen regent or Navarre, oil on panel. Rare and early depiction of the Queen regent in court attire by a French court painter circa 1550. Jeanne d"Albret married Antione De Bourbon to become the Duchess of Vendome. Her son Henri would be come Henri III...

The Tempi Madonna, 16th Century After RAPHAEL (1482-1520) - early Christies stencil Large 16th Century Italian High Renaissance depiction of...

Portrait Of Czechoslovakian Theologian Jan Hus (1370-1415), 17th Century European School 17th Century European School portrait of Czech Theologian Jan Hus, oil on panel. Excellent...

Triptych Of The Crucifixion, 19th Century after PIETRO PERUGINO (1446-1523) Large circa 19th Century Umbrian School Old Master triptych of the Crucif...

Portrait Of Eleanor Of Toledo, Duchess of Florence (1522-1562), 16th Century after AGNOLO BRONZINO (1503-1572) 16th century Italian Old Master court portrait of Eleanor Of Toledo, Duchess of Florence, oil on panel. Excellent quality and condition early portrait of the young Spanish noblewoman...

Two, large, stunningly painted, left and right, oil-on canvas, Italian paintings of the Emperor's Vespasian and Julius Caesar, with their names inscribed on the lower left hand corne...

Saint Sebastian and Saint Roch, 16th century Flemish / German school - oil on panel Beautiful large 16th century representation of the martyrdom of Saint ...

Cristofano Rustici called il Rusticone was an artist active in Siena between the 16th and 17th century, son of Lorenzo Brazzi called il Rustico (Siena 1521-1572). Even if his artistic training started in the family workshop, he was mostly very influenced by the Flemish artist Bernhard van Rantwijk, who was also living in the Tuscan town at the same time. The subject of the four paintings are the Cardinal Virtues...

Attributed to Francesco Mazza, called "Il Parmigianino" (1503-1540) – "Adoration of the Magi" Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: 88 x 134 cm (unframed), 205 x 149 cm (framed) Proven...

Landscape with Figures is an original Old Master Painting realized in the Second half of the 16th Century and attributed to the French painter Matthijs Bril (Antwerp, 1550 – Rome, 15...

Attributed to Pietro Montanini (1626–1689, Perugia) "Landscape with the Baptism of Christ" Oil on canvas Framed: 86 x 44 cm Canvas: 48 x 33 cm No signatured This exquisite Baroque l...

Francesco Del Brina (Florence, 1529 - 1586) Nativity Oil on panel, 70 x 47.5 cm Framed, 80 x 58 cm Critical Record Prof. Alessandro Delpriori The work is not signed Born into a ...

Polidoro de' Renzi, called Polidoro da Lanciano (Lanciano, c. 1515 - Venice, 1565) Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine Oil on panel, 47.5 x 34.5 cm Framed, 71 x 58 cm The painting, ...

Herman Posthumus (East Frisia, 1512/1513 - Amsterdam, 1588) Leda & the Swan Oil on canvas, 87.5 x 142 cm Framed, 107 x 161 cm Initial 'P' in the center of a pillow decoration Cr...

This painting (in an excellent state of conservation and of fine executive workmanship, attests to the enormous luck of Raphael's inventions in the years following his death: in fact...

Follower of Andrea del Sarto (Florence, July 16, 1486 - Florence, September 29, 1530) Madonna and Child, St. John and two Angels Oil on panel, 73 x 61.5 cm With frame 100 x 90 cm...

Old Master Drawing by the Circle of Lambert Lombard. Drawing/ Study of a Man in Renaissance Style, later signed "F. Floris". Study of a Man Lombard li...

School of Andrea del Sarto (Florence, 1486 - Florence, 1530) Saint John Oil on panel, 57 x 39 cm Framed, 67 x 49 cm The panel depicts St. John, recognizable by his staff and red ...

Giovanni Battista del Verrocchio, known as The Master of Volterra (Florence 1494 - 1569) Madonna with Child and San Giovannino Oil on panel, 63 x 50 cm Frame: 92 x 80 cm The styl...

16th-century Tuscan (Florentine) school Madonna and Child Oil on panel 70 x 56 cm In frame 106 x 92 cm The painting on offer, executed in oil on panel and dating to the mid-...

Oil on Board. Central-Italian school of the second half of the 1500s. The sacred scene of the Annunciation sees the two protagonist figures placed in the foreground in an interior th...

Oil on canvas Image size: 26 x 37 inches (66 x 94 cm) Period hand carved gilt frame The pictorial arrangement of the Holy Family, with various saints in a landscape, was very popular in sixteenth-century Venice, following the prototype of Giovanni Bellini. Possibly intended for private devotion, this picture is a representative example of the compositional type known as the sacra conversazione...

Circle of Rodrigo de Osona the Elder (Valencia, 1440 - 1518) Nativity Oil on panel, 89 x 59 cm Framed, 99 x 69 cm In a picturesque setting, protected by an imposing Renaissance l...

Pieta, 16th Century circle of Quinten MASSYS (1466-1530) Large 16th Century Netherlandish Old Master depiction of the Pieta, oil on oak panel. Large scene of the Virgin mother embracing the body of Christ in her arms. Presented in a large antique arched wooden frame. Stable surface condition and good panel condition/stability for its age. Some overpainting in the veil, hands and background as a result of over cleaning. Similar to the works of painter Van Cleeve...

Attributed to Francesco Bonsignori Italian 1455-1519 Christ as a Boy Oil on wood panel Image size: 12 1/4 x 16 inches (31 x 40.5 cm) Original gilt frame  In this painting on panel, ...

English School Cardinal Thomas Wolsey 16th Century Oil on oak panel Image size: 22 1/4 x 18 inches (56.5 x 46 cm) Contemporary style frame Provenance Tudor Exhibition, New Gallery, ...

Studio of Adriaen Isenbrandt 1510 - 1551 The Virgin and Child Enthroned Oil on oak panel, wax seal verso Image size: 10 3/4 x 8 inches (27 x 20.5 cm) Contemporary style frame (image below) POA Provenance Collection of Mrs Marianne Hudson Mary, holding Jesus in her arms, is centrally positioned against a gold detailed architectural backdrop, reflecting the traditional iconography of the enthroned Virgin and Child. This composition suggests the theme of “Maestà” or “Majesty,” emphasising the figures religious significance. In the painting from the studio of Adriaen Isenbrandt, the artist masterfully infuses the scene with rich symbolism and hidden meanings that reflect the cultural and religious context of the period. The infant Christ, seated on the Virgin Mary’s lap, is draped in a delicate, translucent white garment that symbolises his purity. In his hand, he clutches a piece of coral, a multifaceted symbol representing immortality, youth, and health. Notably, coral was also a common teething tool during that era, adding another layer of contemporary relevance. A scarlet-headed blackbird, native to South America, perches gracefully on Christ’s outstretched finger. This bird is a potent symbol of creation and protection, enhancing the divine narrative of the scene. Mary, with a tender and loving gesture, caresses Christ’s back while gazing adoringly at her son, underscoring her role as the nurturing mother of God. Mary is centrally positioned within an architectural alcove, which subtly suggests a heavenly halo without explicitly depicting one. The alcove’s niches, traditionally used to emphasise the importance of sculptures, further highlight her significance. She is adorned in a voluminous red gown, with the undulating folds of the fabric accentuated by white highlights. The red colour of her dress symbolises maternal qualities, while the iridescent blue undercoat, visible in certain areas, signifies sanctity and purity due to its rarity and expense at the time. Moreover, Mary is depicted as the epitome of contemporary Medieval...

Oil on oak panel Image size: 14 1/4 x 11 3/4 inches (36 x 30 cm) Period style frame This portrait shows Chaucer with a string of beads in one hand and a writing implement in the other. The Arms in the top left of the picture are the Arms of Chaucer, featuring a per pale argent and gules, a bend counterchanged. This painting appears to derive, like all other portraits of Chaucer, from an illustration in an early fifteenth-century manuscript, Hoccleve's De Regimine Principum. Here Hoccleve included one portrait of Chaucer, showing him with an inkhorn around his neck and holding a rosary in one hand. Since it is likely that Hoccleve had met Chaucer, many scholars believe this could be the most genuine representation of the English writer with all other depictions being seemingly based on it. In almost all portraits of Chaucer, including this one, the poet is shown wearing a pendant attached to his vest. This item is often considered to be a penner, included in the artworks as a sign of the general occupation of a writer. Whilst the pendant is generally accepted as a case for a writing instrument, possibly with equal plausibility, it has also been suggested that the item is an ampulla, a small lead vial containing water and the blood of St. Thomas Becket...