Portrait Paintings

Portrait Of Marie Louise Gonzaga Queen Of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania (1611-1667), 17th Century circle of Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680) Large 17th century portrait of Marie Louise Gonzaga, Queen of Poland, Grand Duchess of Lithuania, oil on canvas. Excellent quality and condition rare three quarter length portrait of the highly influential Queen Consort wearing an ivory satin dress...

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

A rare pair of three-quarter length 'marriage' portraits by one of the foremost dutch portrait painters of the 17th century, Nicolaes Maes (Dordrecht 1634-1693 Amsterdam). The gentleman signed middle left 'Maes 1679'. Oil on canvas in dutch style ebonised frames. Dimensions 58 x 47.5cms each. The gentleman is shown in a landscape at dusk, leaning against a stone capital, wearing a white chemise decorated with lace, a black coat and a brown silk cloak draped across his body. The lady is elegantly dressed in an ivory silk gown decorated with jewels on the neckline and shoulders, the contrasting sleeves in gold fabric, with a rose pink silk cloak draped over her shoulder and bodice. She wears a pearl necklace and earrings with her fair hair worn up with ringlets falling down onto her chest in the fashionable style of the day. She stands with one hand touching a lock of her hair as she rests her arm on the bowl of a stone water drinking fountain...

Portrait Of Elisabeth of France Queen Of Spain & Portugal (1602-1644) School of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) Large 17th Century Old Master portrait of ...

The portrait is attributed to the French painter Monique Daniche (1737 - 1824) Magnificently painted baroque portrait of unidentified noble child wearing fashionable dress and holdin...

18th century style, “Young aristocrat with pet dog”

Study Of David, 17th Century School Of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) 17th Century Dutch study of the head of David before the battle against Goliath & The Philistines, oil on canva...

'Topers in a Tavern' Circle of Jacob Toorenvliet (Dutch 1635 - 1719) oil on panel, framed framed: 9 x 7 inches panel: 7.5 x 6 inches provenance: priv...

Portrait of a noblewoman in ceremonial dress with Chantilly lace mantilla Attributed to Jean Ranc (Montpellier 1674 - 1735 Madrid) oil on oval canvas cm.72 ...

Antique illustration of a golfer getting out of a sand trap by well listed illustrator Leslie Saalburg whose work appeared in Vanity Fair and Esquire.

This exquisite mid-17th-century portrait miniature depicts a gentleman, believed to be King Charles I, wearing a lace collar. Following his execution in 1649, numerous portraits wer...

Flower garland with a portrait of the Virgin Francesco Trevisani (Capodistria 1656 - Rome 1746) and Niccolò Stanchi (Rome 1623 - 1690), attributable Oil on canvas 66 x 49 cm. - In f...

This painting features a young girl sitting on a chair in a dimly lit room, illuminated by the soft glow of an orange-tinted ceiling lamp. This painting captures the essence of the candle-light genre of art, which originated in the 17th century and was popularized by Dutch and Flemish artists. The candle-light paintings were characterized by the use of a single source of light, which was usually a candle, and were often accompanied by the inclusion of reflective surfaces such as mirrors, to create an ambiance of warmth and intimacy. Weise's painting is a beautiful example of this genre, as he uses the same technique of a single source of light to create a sense of depth and realism in the painting. The girl in the painting is dressed in a vibrant red dress and white stockings, and her expression suggests a moment of contemplation. On the table, there is a photo frame, perhaps containing a picture of someone dear to her, and its reflection is visible in the mirror in the background. The piano on the right side of the painting is in shadow, while above it is a portrait painting with a golden frame, which adds to the ambiance of the room. Karl Weise was a renowned painter known for his exceptional use of light and shadow in his paintings, which created a mesmerizing play of light that evoked a sense of depth and realism in his work. His paintings were highly appreciated during his lifetime, and they continue to be admired today for their timeless beauty and artistic merit. In conclusion, Karl Weise's painting is a beautiful example of the candle-light genre of art. The use of a single source of light creates a warm and intimate ambiance, while the shadows add depth and dimension to the painting. The young girl's expression and the inclusion of the photo frame and portrait painting add a sense of storytelling to the painting, making it a truly captivating classic artwork...

Portrait Of Lieutenant George Addam, dated 1638 circle of Gerard VON HONTHORST (1604 - 1666) Large 17th Century Portrait of English Civil War Royalist officer Leiutenant George Add...

Jacques-Francois Delyen (1684-1761), Court Painter of King Louis XV. A Magnificent Pair of Palatial "French Royal" Allegorical Paintings "Aurora and Diana" "Night and Day" A truly ...

Portrait Of Mary Of Modena, Queen Of England, 17th Century Studio Of SIR PETER LELY (1618-1680) Huge 17th century English Old Master portrait of Mary Of Modena, Queen Of England, oil on canvas. Huge full length portrait of the second wife to James II wearing a burgundy dress with blue wrap. Excellent quality and rare full length study of Mary typical of Lely and his studio from the period. Presented in an antique gilt frame. Authentication: by David Taylor...

Venetian School of the late 16th century Workshop of Jacopo Negretti, known as Palma il Giovane (Venice 1544 - 1628) Sleeping Venus and Cupid Spied on by a Satyr Oil on canvas (49 x...

Portrait of Lady Anne Howard (nee Montagu) Countess Of Suffolk (1660-1720), 18th Century follower of Sir Peter LELY Large 18th Century English portrait of...

Oil on oak panel, inscribed top left ‘AETATIS SUAE 32’ Image size: 27 x 35 inches (68.5 x 89 cm) Contemporary style handmade frame This is a portrait of a medical figure from the ea...

Portrait of French King Louis XV (1710-1774) in armour 18th century French school Workshop of Jean Baptiste Van Loo (1684-1745) Circa 1730 Oil on canvas, dimen...

Thomas Gainsborough 1727-1788 Portrait of Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Brodrick Oil on Canvas 75cms x 61cms Framed

Saint Catherine Of Alexandria, 17th Century workshop of GUIDO RENI (1575-1642) Large 17th century Italian Old Master depiction of the ...

François de Troy (1645 – 1730) - Duchesse de Fontanges The young woman, traditionally identified as Mademoiselle de Fontanges, Louis XIV's mistress, is depcited in bust facing forward, her head slightly raised and turned to the left. She seems to dominate the viewer. She is dressed in a blue satin dress and wrapped in an orange satin stole that shines with its most golden luster. His hand with graceful fingers with the index and ring fingers spread apart and the middle finger glued to the ring finger keeps slippery fabrics on his chest. Its stole flying in the wind creates an instantaneous movement and the arm bent at the elbow obliquely transforms its static pose. The perfectly oval face is enlivened by wide gray eyes, a turned-up nose, full cheeks and a mouth that sketches a half-smile. Her powdered and tied hair is studded with many flowers. The young woman wearing no jewelry, the radiance of her youth and her translucent hue are her only ornaments. The juxtaposition between the icy blue satin and the incandescent orange like the heart and the contours of a flame indicates François de Troy's great talent as a colourist. Its vibrant and nervous touch enlivens fluid fabrics, making them sparkling and changing. Their surface is worked in quivering brushstrokes, the serifs and the glazes forming an elegant arrangement. The glazes of the face are treated by superimposing light and transparent layers, producing pearly reflections and a translucent rendering, the technique in which de Troy particularly excels. By François de Troy (Toulouse 1645 – Paris 1730) Early 18th century French School Oil on canvas in oval format: h. 27.95 in, w. 25.18in 19th century period frame Framed dimensions: h. 41.34 in, w. 33.46 in Although unsigned, like the majority of works by François de Troy, our portrait has been authenticated by the French expert cabinet "Turquin" as an autograph work by François de Troy. Provenance : Paris, Heim-Gairac gallery in 1965. Thence private collection. Published in the book on the life of Louis XIV “The Sun King: Louis XIV at Versailles”, Nancy Mitford...

Jacob Ferdinand Voet (Antwerp 1639 - Paris 1689) Atelier Portrait of the Young Ortensia Mancini, Duchess of La Meilleraye (Rome 1646 - Chelsea 1699) Oil on canvas 75 x 61 cm. - exqu...

French school of the second half of the 18th century Oil on canvas 46 x 38 cm (57 x 49 cm with the frame) Very beautiful frame in gilded wood from the Louix XVI period with decoratio...

"Maria Van Rysselberghe au coin du feu" is a portrait painting by Post-Impressionist Théo van Rysselberghe. The portrait is signed lower right, "Atelier Van Rysselberghe". The framed...

18th century French School François de Troy (1645 – 1730), Paris, circa 1725 Portrait of a Woman as the Goddess Ceres Oil on canvas: h. 39 in, w. 31.3 in Regen...

Portrait of a Lady as Venus ATTRIBUTED TO PIERRE GOBERT (1662-1744) FRENCH SCHOOL AROUND 1720 OIL ON CANVAS: H. 55.51 in, W. 42.91 in. IMPORTANT 18TH CENTURY GILTWOOD FRAME (RE-GILT)...

18th century French Rococo portrait of a young noble lady This cheerful young lady is looking at the spectator with a sparkling eyes has a cheeky smile on her face, almost as if she has just heard a funny story. She is very elegantly dressed, wearing a blue dress with embroidered silk sleeves. The bodice is adorned with a cream silk band which has been beautifully tied to a ribbon at the top, a tulle-lining completes the dress. Her hair is styled in an elaborate 18th century style and tied together with a blue and cream silk hairband. This portrait has been wonderfully painted, the artist not only beautifully depicted the fabrics, but also marvellously captured the happy nature of the sitter. The painting really has a soul, when one looks at it, it feels as if one is looking at a real person. It is very close to the works of Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (1725-1802) and it shares an uncanny resemblance to the portrait that he painted of the Comtesse de Provence, Princess of Savoie and wife of the King Louis XVIII of France. Duplessis is known to have reused many of his favoured compositions in different portraits, but he always applied slight differences, such as in the present painting. We believe that the present painting was created by someone from his very close circle. Joseph-Siffred Duplessis (1725-1802) was a renowned French portrait painter, famed for his intimately rendered portraits. After training for many years in Paris, Duplessis presented himself to the Académie in 1769 and was afforded the opportunity to exhibit regularly at the Salon. He was very successful and in 1777, he was allowed to paint a full-length portrait of Louis XVI (1754–1793) in his state robes. Two years later he created a portrait of Benjamin Franklin in a red coat with a fur collar, a painting which was the subject of much favorable comment. It was destined to become the artist’s most famous work and perhaps the best known image of the great American patriot...

Oil on canvas Image size: 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm) Period gilt frame This is a half-length portrait of a gentleman wearing a emerald coat and intricately designed waistcoat, dat...

Portrait Of A Gentleman, Monsieur Briux, circa 1790 Henri Pierre DANLOUX (1753-1809) Large 18th Century French portrait of a gentleman believed to be a Monsieur Bruix, circa 1790, ...

Hendrick van Balen (Antwerp 1575 - 1632) workshop Possible Jan van Balen (Antwerp 1611 - 1654) Madonna and Child with Three Angels Oil on panel 65 x 50 cm....

Frank Nelson Wilcox (American, 1887-1964) The Wood Chopper, Brecksville, Ohio, c. 1917 Oil on masonite 33 x 24 inches "We were fortunate in that the two farms in Brecksville were still open to our visits. The urbanization of the township was then only beginning and we spent several summers there where I tried to capture something of the rural peace so soon to be erased from the countryside." - Wilcox Exhibited: “Water Colors and Oils by Frank N. Wilcox,” Cleveland Museum of Art, January 1937. Frank Nelson Wilcox (October 3, 1887 – April 17, 1964) was a modernist American artist and a master of watercolor. Wilcox is described as the "Dean of Cleveland School...

This small portrait is signed and dated among the bottom edge "Io(hannes) Baptista Scarlattius Rondinelli Fecit Anno 1754". Giovan Battista Scarlatti Rondinelli was an important memb...

Portrait of a fair-haired young girl wearing a green dress, a pink and white lace bonnet and a patterned shawl draped around her shoulders, possibly in a printed Indian design, leaning on a stone pedestal. Oil on canvas in a period 18th century giltwood frame. During the 18th century Indian textiles...

A head and shoulders portrait of a gentleman wearing a white powdered wig. The gentleman in question is as yet unknown but certainly has the look of an aristocrat. oil on canvas, housed in later gilt frame The painting is 57cm by 44cm (17½ x 22¼ inches high) whilst overall is 58½ x 71 cm (23 x 28 inches high) The condition overall is very good having had some restoration and also relined and cleaned. There is some cracquelure throughout and some areas of retouching a few minor abrasions and losses to the background mainly edges by frame non of which detract from this fine piece. Peter Lely...

Jan Kraeck, in Italy Giovanni Caracca (Haarlem c. 1540 - Turin 1607) Workshop of Equestrian portrait of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy (Rivoli 1562 - Savigliano 1630) known as 'the Great' Oil on canvas (148 × 122 cm - Framed 165 × 139 cm) The work is also accompanied by an expert's report by Dr. Arabella Cifani, which traces it back to a pupil of the master, Giulio Maino (1570 - after 1643) The subject of this fascinating equestrian portrait is Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy (Rivoli 1562 - Savigliano 1630), immortalised in adulthood, proudly mounted on the back of his white horse, in his sumptuous ceremonial armour trimmed with fine gold ornaments. He wears short hair, a pointed beard and moustache, with a lace ruff around his neck. Nicknamed 'Firehead' by his subjects, due to his manifest military aptitude and impetuous character, he was one of the most capable and cultured princes in the history of the House of Savoy; his birth was announced to the family by Nostradamus, in 1561, who added that he would become 'the greatest leader of his time'. He married the daughter of Philip II of Spain...

The crucifixion of Crist Italian school 17th or 18th century. Beautiful detail in the face and hands. The lighting makes the figure of Crist seem to glow. In a good quality later frame. Presented by Joseph Dasta Antiques...

Circle of Godfrey Kneller (German, 1646 – 1723) Amelie Sophia von Wendt as Aphrodite in the judgement of Paris, later as King George II’s Courtesan, bestowed the title of the Countes...

Lovely portrait of a young Boy standing on an armchair. Oil on canvas signed Felix BRYK. Swedish School, circa 1900-1910 Portraitist and ethnologist of the early twentieth century. ...

oil on canvas 46.7 x 37.2 inches (118.5 x 94.5 cm.) PROVENANCE Private Collection, Isle of Wight Two young sisters are posed on a portico backed by a rotund column with a landscape beyond. Although their identities are unknown their outfits as well as the setting denotes wealth and status. The older sister wears a gown of gold with blue and gold trim raised to reveal a green underskirt also edged with gold. Her collar tied at the neck and fastened over her shoulders by a large rosette of golden cloth, apron and cuffs over wide sleeves, are all of a sheer batiste linen trimmed with lace. Previously a child would not have been painted in a bib or apron above the age of three, but in the 1650s and 1660s it became fashionable for older girls. A leading string hangs from her right shoulder, which is also surprising given her age, but once their utility was gone, they were viewed as a decorative accessory and remained part of children’s costumes...

Portrait Of Maurice Of Nassau, Prince of Orange, 17th Century studio of Michiel Jansz Van Mierevelt (1566-1641) 17th Century Portrait of Maurice ...

We are grateful to Prof. Daniele Sanguineti for suggesting the attribution to Domenico Parodi (1672 - 1742). He dates the painting into the period between 1730 and 1740. Domenico Par...

Portrait of a Woman Identified as Francisca Van Luxemburg, dated 1528 inscribed to JAN VAN SCOREL (1495-1565) Large 16th Century portrait of a woman, Francisca Van Luxemburg, oil o...

The Annunciation Circle of Paolo De Matteis (Piano Vetrale, 1662 - Naples, 1728) oil painting on canvas (106 x 90 cm - with frame 118 x 103 cm.) The work,...

A late 17th century French School, Workshop of Nicolas de Largillière (Paris, 1656-1746) Circa 1690 This lovely young woman is portrayed at mid-height, disguised as Flora, goddess of...

Oil on canvas Image size: 25 x 29 1/4 inches (63.5 x 72.25 cm) This is a striking 17th century half-portrait of a man. He sits with his body turned to the left and his head to the right. His left hand is held in front of him with thumb and finger together. He wears a loose white shirt that is opened low down onto chest while being closed at his neck with a black ribbon. An orange cloak has also been draped across his arms in a rather dramatic manner. This choice of costume is immediately notable and must be compared to other portraits of this time of Elizabethan courtiers wearing slashed silk outfits with ostentatious finery and silver swords. Indeed, if one examines 17th century English...

Signed oil on original canvas nude circa 1914 by French post impressionist painter Georges D'espagnat. The work depict a nude woman standing beside a wash basin in a boudoir. Signature: Signed lower right Dimensions: Framed: 45"x34" Unframed: 37"x26" Provenance: Private collection - Netherlands From the beginning of his career, it was a constant concern of Georges d'Espagnet to assert his originality. His studies at the École des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, did not last very long, for he wanted immediate independence and decided to follow courses in the private academies of Montparnasse. In about 1900, he became acquainted with Maurice Denis, Bonnard and Vuillard, and his collaboration with Denis led to a renewal of religious art in France. In 1903, d'Espagnet was one of the founders of the Salon d'Automne, and was appointed professor in charge of studios at the École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, in 1934. He illustrated a number of books: Rémy de Gourmont's Evil Prayers ( Oraisons mauvaises) (1896), The Saints of Paradise ( Les Saintes du paradis) (1898), Simone (1907), Sistine ( Sixtine) (1922); Alphonse Daudet's The Immortal ( L'Immortel) (1930); André Gide's The Pastoral Symphony ( La Symphonie pastorale); Francis Jammes' Clearings in the Sky ( Chairières dans le ciel) (1948). D'Espagnet belongs to the group of artists who made the Courrier Français so successful. The drawings of his which are published in it are strongly expressive and some bear comparison with the designs of the great Renaissance masters. He also contributed to L'Image. He often placed cheerful nudes in a landscape, reminding us that, though he moved away from the Fauves, he retained their freedom of colour and arabesque. He painted many portraits, including those of Albert André, André Barbier, Victor Boucher, Déodat de Séverac, Albert Marque, André Marty and Albert Roussel. He also painted mural decorations, including a wall for the Palais de la Découverte (1937), the ceiling of the Victor Hugo Room in the Palais du Luxembourg (1939), a decorative panel for the Palais de Justice, Toulouse (1941) and interior decorations for private houses. His landscapes are Impressionist in inspiration, and work for a certain sobriety, an intimacy, both in their composition - one, two or three sketched figures and large open spaces - and in the choice of colours and treatment with the special hazy brushstroke that marks his style. D'Espagnet took part in a number of annual Parisian exhibitions, including the Salon des Indépendants, the Salon de la Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts, the Salon d'Automne (from 1903 to 1949, except in special circumstances), the Salon de la Libre Ésthétique, Brussels (1899, 1901), the Berlin Secessionists (1940). He also exhibited at the first Salon de la Société de la Gravure sur Bois. Among other exhibitions were 1912, A Century of French Art ( Centenaire de l'art français), St Petersburg; 1916, Kunstverein, Winterthur; 1918, 1926, Galerie M. Bertheim, Paris; 1930, Contemporary French Art...

Rare double portrait depicting Louis XIV and his brother Philippe de France as children. 17th century French School, circa 1645, attributed to Charles and Henri Beaubrun. Oil on canvas, dimensions: h. 48.03, w. 35.43 in. Important 17th century carved and giltwood frame Framed dimensions: h. 60.23, w. 48.42 in. This rare portrait is part of a series of works illustrating the childhood of the two princes, mainly commissioned by Anne of Austria, the mother and regent, after the death of Louis XIII. Expressing her fierce desire to preserve her son's crown, she uses visual communication as a channel of sovereign expression. The portraits serve to strengthen the royal power weakened by the minority of the young Louis...

A portrait of a lady three-quarter length, seated in an interior, wearing a red silk gown draped in a pink silk sash with an exotic bird perched on her hand and one arm resting on a stone plinth, her young daughter wearing a green silk gown standing at her side. Oil on canvas, housed in a period 'Lely' giltwood frame. This double portrait was painted at the height of Dahl's career in circa 1715 when Dahl had become firmly established as one of the leading portrait painters in Britain. Although the identities of the sitters are currently unknown, it is a sensitive depiction of a close and affectionate bond between a mother and daughter, with the young girl's hand resting affectionately on her mothers lap. The tamed exotic bird adds a charming decorative element which also serves to convey the high social status of the lady, given only the very wealthy would be able to own such a rare and expensive pet and the lively colouring of the bird's feathers is reflected in the colours of the sitters' silk gowns. Provenance: Private collection, London Michael Dahl (Stockholm 1659-1743 London) was born in Stockholm in Sweden and studied under Martin Hannibal (d 1741) and later with David Klöcker Ehrenstrahl. In 1682 he travelled to London, where he became acquainted with Godfrey Kneller and Henry Tilson, and in 1685 he left for Europe with Tilson, working briefly in Paris before continuing to Venice and Rome, where they stayed for about two years. In Rome Dahl converted to Roman Catholicism and gravitated towards the circle of Christina, former Queen of Sweden, who sat for him (Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincs). He returned to England with Tilson via Frankfurt and arrived in London in 1689, staying in England for the remainder of his career. During Dahl's absence, Kneller had consolidated his supremacy in London as the most fashionable portrait painter, but Dahl rapidly became Kneller’s closest competitor. His patrons probably had roots in the Swedish diplomatic circles, but it expanded as a result of his ability and his agreeable personality. His prices were lower than those of Kneller and he favoured softer, more diffused, colour tones and could respond to his sitters with sincerity and humanity. Politically, Kneller supported the ascendant Whigs while Dahl was a Tory, but they frequently painted the same sitters from both parties, and in spite of fundamental differences in technique and temperament, their work was sometimes similar in appearance. Dahl was prolific but rarely signed his work, and comparatively few of his portraits were engraved in mezzotint, the method used by Kneller to widen his reputation. By 1690 he had painted the aged Duke of Schomberg (engraved by William Faithorne) and Prince George of Denmark (London, Kensington Palace). He was ignored by William III but received commissions from Princess Anne, including one for a portrait of herself (Oakly Park, Ludlow, Salop). He also painted the future Duke and Duchess of Marlborough, and his informal portrait of the Duchess (Althorp House, Northants), formerly attributed to Kneller, is perhaps the most intimate of all images of her. During the 1690s he secured the patronage of Charles Seymour, the ‘Proud’ 6th Duke of Somerset, who ordered a series of seven full-length portraits of notable contemporary beauties from Dahl (1690s; Petworth House, W. Sussex, NT). This was originally a scheme similar to Kneller’s more famous ‘Hampton Court Beauties’, but the portraits were subsequently reduced to three-quarter-length formats. The features of the sitters are not individualized, but they possess a decorative, languorous glamour that recalls Lely rather than Kneller. Somerset gave Dahl further employment over the next 25 years. In 1698, following the death of Klöcker Ehrenstrahl, Dahl was offered the post of court painter at Stockholm, which he apparently refused, preferring to remain in London at his studio in Leicester Fields, near the Swedish legation. In about 1700 he was joined by a young compatriot, Hans Hysing, who worked with him for many years. Dahl seems not to have married until after 1708, He had a son Michael (d. 1741), also a painter, of whose work nothing is known, and two daughters. After the accession of Queen Anne in 1701, she and Prince George sat for a number of official portraits. His royal patronage ceased with Queen Anne’s death, and when Dahl refused to paint the infant Duke of Cumberland in 1722. He was suspected of Jacobite sympathies, and relations had cooled between him and the Swedish legation. However, his practice continued to prosper, and he acquired another important patron in Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford, who shared his political views and whose circle included the architect James Gibbs and the poets Matthew Prior and Alexander Pope, all of whom Dahl painted. Oxford commissioned several portraits of himself. In the earliest (1719; Welbeck Abbey...

English School, circa 1780’s Circle of George Romney (1734-1802) oil painting on canvas, framed framed: 36 x 30 inches canvas: 30 x 25 inches private collectio...

Provenance: Cornelius Vanderbilt, New York; by whom gifted in 1880 to: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (80.3.673); deaccessioned and sold: Christie’s, New York, 12 June 19...

Portrait Of Mrs Isabella Blair, 18th century circle of Sir Henry Raeburn (1756-1823) Large 18th Century Scottish portrait of Mrs Isabe...

Provenance: Bradley Collection. Private Collection, Upperville, Virginia. Literature: Katlijne van der Stighelen and Hans Vlieghe, Rubens: Portraits of Unidentified and Newly Identified Sitters painted in Antwerp, Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, vol. 19, pt. 3, London and Turnhout, 2021, under cat. no. 189, p. 161, and fig. 75. This painting had previously been considered to be by an anonymous Tuscan painter of the sixteenth century in the orbit of Agnolo Bronzino. While the painting does in fact demonstrate a striking formal and compositional similarity to Bronzino’s portraits—compare the nearly identical pose of Bronzino’s Portrait of a Young Man in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Fig. 1)—its style is completely foreign to Italian works of the period. That it is painted on an oak panel is further indication of its non-Italian origin. This portrait can in fact be confidently attributed to the Antwerp artist Huybrecht Beuckelaer. Huybrecht, the brother of Joachim Beuckelaer, has only recently been identified as the author of a distinct body of work formerly grouped under the name of the “Monogrammist HB.” In recent studies by Kreidl, Wolters, and Bruyn his remarkable career has been delineated: from its beginnings with Joachim in the workshop of Pieter Aertsen; to his evident travels to Italy where, it has been suggested, he came into contact with Bronzino’s paintings; to his return to Antwerp, where he seems to have assisted Anthonis Mor in painting costume in portraits; to his independent work in Antwerp (where he entered the Guild of Saint Luke in 1579); and, later to his career in England where, known as “Master Hubberd,” he was patronized by the Earl of Leicester. Our painting was recently published by Dr. Katlijne van der Stighelen and Dr. Hans Vlieghe in a volume of the Corpus Rubenianum, in which they write that the painting “has a very Italian air about it and fits convincingly within [Beuckelaer’s] oeuvre.” Stighelen and Vlieghe compare the painting with Peter Paul Ruben’s early Portrait of a Man, Possibly an Architect or Geographer in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in which the sitter holds a compass and wears a similarly styled doublet (Fig. 2). Huybrecht both outlived and travelled further afield than his brother Joachim, who made his career primarily in Antwerp. Whereas Joachim was the main artistic inheritor of their uncle and teacher, Pieter Aertson, working in similar style and format as a specialist in large-scale genre and still-life paintings, Huybrecht clearly specialized as a painter of portraits and was greatly influenced by the foreign artists and works he encountered on his travels. His peripatetic life and his distinctly individual hand undoubtedly contributed to the fact his career and artistic output have only recently been rediscovered and reconstructed. His periods abroad seem to have overlapped with the mature phase of his brother Joachim’s career, who enrolled in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke much earlier than his brother, establishing himself as an independent painter in 1560. Joachim’s activity was confined to the following decade and half, and his latest work dates from the last year of his life, 1574. Our portrait was likely produced in the late 1560s, a dating supported by the dendrochronological investigation performed by Dr. Peter Klein, which established that it is painted on an oak panel with an earliest felling date of 1558 and with a fabrication date of ca. 1566. This painting presents a portrait of an artist, almost certainly Huybrecht’s self-portrait. The young sitter is confidently posed in a striking patterned white doublet with a wide collar and an abundance of buttons. He stands with his right arm akimbo, his exaggerated hands both a trademark of Huybrecht and his brother Joachim’s art, as well as a possible reference to the “hand of the artist.” The figure peers out of the painting, interacting intimately and directly with the viewer, as we witness him posed in an interior, the tools and results of his craft visible nearby. He holds a square or ruler in his left hand, while a drawing compass...

Portrait of Colonel William Helyar (1621-1698) and Rachel Helyar (c.1633-1678) c.1656 Circle of Robert Walker (act. 1637-1656) These fascinating portraits, presented by Titan Fine Art, depict Colonel William Helyar, High Sheriff of Somersetshire, and his wife Rachel Helyar nee Wyndham, a daughter and co-heiress of Sir Hugh Wyndham, 1st Baronet (died 1663) of Pilsden Court, Dorset. They are exquisite examples of portraiture during the Interregnum when England was under various forms of republican government. The history of the seventeenth century is in part the story of the Stewarts and their approach to government and the church; their ebbing and flowing popularity and the disastrous decisions that led to Civil War. But another fascinating dynasty also ruled Britain: the Cromwell’s. Between 1653 and 1659, following the Civil Wars and experimental Commonwealth, Oliver Cromwell governed as Lord Protector followed by his son Richard. Cromwell’s Protectorate is usually imagined as a grey, joyless, military regime. But the reality was rather different. Cromwell presided over a colourful and fashionable court where music and the arts flourished, masques were revived and the first English operas performed. Too often the London of the 1650s is painted as puritanical and repressive in contrast to the vivid, fun-loving capital of the Restoration. Yet, under Cromwell, this was the city where the first coffee houses were opening, where a young Samuel Pepys was embarking on his career as a civil servant with the patronage of one of Cromwell’s councillors and where Christopher Wren was enjoying his new Chair of astronomy at Gresham College, appointed after the personal intervention of Cromwell. When Cromwell was invested as Lord Protector for the second time in 1657, the lavish ceremony in Westminster Hall and procession through London matched any previous coronation for pageantry with thousands lining the streets, bells ringing, bonfires blazing and free French wine flowing through the city. The gentleman in our portrait is Colonel William Helyar (1621-1698), Sheriff of Somerset and as a Royalist during the English Civil War. As one of the most prominent old families of the South-West, the Helyar’s family roots in Somerset can be traced back to 1616 when the Reverend William Helyar (1559-1645), chaplain to Elizabeth I, who was also a cousin by marriage, purchased the family residence Coker Court in East Coker, Somerset. He married a Devonshire heiress and several estates were bestowed on him as a result. He was a warm supporter of Charles I in the Civil War and was in residence at Exeter in 1643 when the Parliamentarians pillaged the cathedral. Elderly as he was, he boldly resisted them, but was beaten, pelted with mud, and locked up in a ship in the port and only let out on payment of £800. He retired to Coker where he died in 1645. His eldest son Henry died in 1634 and he was succeeded by his grandson, Colonel William Helyar, the sitter in our portrait. Colonel Helyar raised a troop of horse for King Charles I and was a colonel in the king's army. He was at Exeter when it was captured by the Parliamentary forces in 1646 and thus deemed ‘Traitor to the Parliament’. His estates were sequestered, but they were returned and he was discharged and pardoned on payment of £1,522. During the Restoration he was a Sheriff and he also helped James II repel the Monmouth Rebellion. The companion portrait represents the Colonel’s wife, Rachel Helyar (baptised 24th June 1633 at St Mary Aldermanbury, London – died 1678). She was the youngest daughter and co-heir of Sir Hugh Wyndham, 1st Baronet of Pilsdon Court and Mary Wyndham nee Alanson (Sir Hugh should not be confused with his first cousin once removed from Somerset, also Sir Hugh Wyndham (bef. 1604 - 1684). Rachel is a thirteenth generation descendant of King Henry III. The couple resided at the family seat of Coker Court (interestingly, within the churchyard, lie the remains of the poet T.S. Eliot who once wrote a poem about East Coker). A marriage settlement in extant shows that the couple were married in 1656; the portraits were most likely painted to mark this important event in the sitter’s lives. Rachel holds roses, the flower of love, and the putto pouring water is representative of her purity, and possibly, the plighting of troth. Colonel Helyar wears a gold wedding band. The couple had four sons: George, William (MP) (1662-1742), John, and Richard. Colonel Helyar died in December 1697 and was buried at Whitechurch, Dorset 2 Jan 1698. This period in which this portrait was painted was known as the Protectorate (1653-1659). This period offered relative peace, as the English Civil War ended in 1651. It was an interesting time for portraiture in England and Scotland – in between the great artistic geniuses and dominance of Van Dyke and Peter Lely. Much of the foreign-born artistic talent had fled England and Scotland during the Civil War and the artists that had remained were in great demand, in part due to the newly exposed strata of society wishing to be painted. Sitters on both sides were depicted in portraits in very similar ways. They are not, on the whole, shown as the Roundheads and Cavaliers of popular history. In fact, it is usually impossible to guess their political allegiances from the style of their portrait and their Parliamentarian and royalist iconographies, as portraits on both sides followed the same conventions and looked identical. Colonel Helyar has been depicted in armour and holding a Marshal’s baton of command, confirming his status. There is a great sense of realism and a particular delicacy, note the finely rendered hand resting on the rapier. Rachel is wearing a satin dress with expansive sleeves and a crimson drapery over her shoulder and held up by her left hand. She wears large pearl...

Painting was attributed to Jean-Baptiste Marie Huet (1745 - 1811) by Cabinet Turquin (France). A cute scene with children tying a ribbon around the neck of a young lamb. Rococo in th...

Giovanni Battista PIAZZETTA (Workshop of) Venice, 1683 - Venice, 1754 Oil on canvas 48 x 38.5 cm (64 x 58 cm with the frame) Piazzetta painted a number of "portraits" of saints or laymen in small formats and in a tight framing, and several Virgin Mary readin a book. We can compare our painting to the Virgin in the Hisch collection sold at Sotheby's in London in 1971 . Piazzetta has produced several "Madonna in the Book", a subject traditionally close to the Virgin of the Annunciation. The Virgin Mary is said to have been reading the psalms when the angel Gabriel came to visit her : "Madonna in prayer", Sotheby's New York in 1979, Madonnina orante, Pinacotheque de Vicenze, exhibited in 1982, the “Santa Vergine Maria” represented with a book, print from a missing painting...

Portrait Of Flora, 18th Century after TITIAN (1488-1576) - Large Study Large 18th century Italian old Master Renaissance depiction of the Goddess of Spring, Flora, oil on canvas. ...