18th Century and Earlier Portrait Paintings

Giovanni Maria DELLE PIANE, known as IL MULINARETTO (Genoa, 1660 – Monticelli d'Ongina, 1745) Portrait of a man Oil on oval canvas H. 108 cm; L. 83 cm Provenance: Nino Ferrari Colle...

Bernardo Strozzi, also known as “Il Cappuccino” and “il Prete Genovese”, (Genoa, Italy, 1581 – Venice, Italy, 1644) Title: Portrait of a man with white collar Medium: Oil on canvas D...

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, ...

These two royal portraits are a major historical testimony to the stay of the Comte d'Artois (the future Charles X) and his family in Edinburgh in 1796-1797. Given by the sitters to Lord Adam Gordon, the Governor of Edinburgh, and kept by family descent to this day, these two portraits provide us with a vivid and spontaneous image of the Duc d’Angoulême and his brother the Duc de Berry. Danloux, who had emigrated to London a few years before, demonstrate his full assimilation of the art of British portrait painters in the brilliant execution of these portraits. 1. Henri-Pierre Danloux, a portraitist in the revolutionary turmoil Born in Paris in 1753, Henri-Pierre Danloux was first a pupil of the painter Nicolas-Bernard Lépicié (1735 - 1784) and then, in 1773, of Joseph-Marie Vien (1716 - 1809), whom he followed to Rome when, at the end of 1775, Vien became Director of the Académie de France. In Rome he became friends with the painter Jacques-Louis David (1748 - 1825). Returning to France around 1782, he settled in Lyon for a few years before returning to Paris in 1785. One of his first portraits was commissioned by the Baroness d'Etigny, the widow of the former Intendant of the Provinces of Gascony, Bearn and Navarre Antoine Mégret d'Etigny (1719 – 1767). He then became close to his two sons, Mégret de Sérilly and Mégret d'Etigny, who in turn became his patrons. In 1787, this close relationship with the d'Etigny family was further strengthened by his marriage to Antoinette de Saint-Redan, a relative of Madame d'Etigny. After his marriage, he left for Rome and did not return to France until 1789. It was during the winter of 1790-1791 that he painted one of his masterpieces, the portrait of Baron de Besenval. Set in a twilight atmosphere, this portrait of an aristocrat who knows that his death is imminent symbolizes the disappearance of an erudite and refined society which would be swept away by the French Revolution. The Jacobin excesses led Danloux to emigrate to England in 1792; many members of his family-in-law who remained in France were guillotined on 10 May 1794. Danloux enjoyed great success as a portrait painter in England before returning to France in 1801. During his stay in England, Danloux was deeply under the influence of English portraitists: his colors became warmer (as shown by the portrait of the Duc d'Angoulême that we are presenting), and his execution broader. 2. Description of the two portraits and biographical details of the sitters The Duc d'Angoulême (1775-1844) was the eldest son of the Comte d'Artois, the younger brother of King Louis XVI (the future King Charles X), and his wife Marie-Thérèse of Savoie. He is shown here, in the freshness of his youth, wearing the uniform of colonel-general of the "Angoulême-Dragons" regiment. He is wearing the blue cordon of the Order of the Holy Spirit, which was awarded to him in 1787, and two decorations: the Cross of Saint-Louis and the Maltese Cross, as he was also Grand Prior of the Order of Malta. Born on 16 August 1775 in Versailles, Louis-Antoine d'Artois followed his parents into emigration on 16 July 1789. In 1792, he joined the émigrés’ army led by the Prince de Condé. After his stay in Edinburgh (which will be further discussed), he went to the court of the future King Louis XVIII, who was in exile at the time, and in 1799 married his first cousin Marie-Thérèse Charlotte of France, the daughter of Louis XVI and the sole survivor of the royal family. The couple had no descendants. He became Dauphin of France in 1824, upon the accession to the throne of his father but played only a minor political role, preferring his military position as Grand Admiral. Enlisted in Spain on the side of Ferdinand VII, he returned home crowned with glory after his victory at Trocadero in 1823. He reigned for a very short time at the abdication of Charles X in 1830, before relinquishing his rights in favor of his nephew Henri d'Artois, the Duc de Bordeaux. He then followed his father into exile and died on 3 June 1844 in Gorizia (now in Italy). His younger brother, the Duc de Berry, is shown in the uniform of the noble cavalry of the émigrés’ Army. He is wearing the blue cordon of the Order of the Holy Spirit, awarded to him in May 1789, and the Cross of Saint-Louis (partly hidden by his blue cordon). Born on 24 January 1778 in Versailles, Charles-Ferdinand d'Artois also followed his parents into emigration and joined the émigrés’ army in 1792. After his stay in Edinburgh, he remained in Great Britain, where he had an affair with Amy Brown...

Judith Beheading Holofernes, 17th Century School of Carlo MARATTA (1625-1713) Carlo Maratta Large 17th century Italian Old Master depiction of Jud...

This exquisite work, presented by Titan Fine Art, is by the notable artist Hans Hysing, who was a noteworthy painter in England; it is significant in its q...

This charming 17th century Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Swedish born Michael Dahl who lived and work in England for most of his life. Painted circa...

Antiveduto Gramatica or Grammatica (Rome, Italy, 1571 – 1626) Title: Magdalene Praying with a Skull Medium:Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 58 x 43.2 cm - with frame 85 x 72 x...

Erasmus Quellinus II (Antwerp 1607 - 1672) Vanitas (as an Allegory of the Vanity of Life or of Youth) Oil painting on canvas - cm. 121 x 84, in the frame cm. 135 x 98 The work is a...

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...

Pierre Mignard, known as Le Romain (Troyes 1612 - Paris 1695), attributed Portrait of 'Louise Renée de Penancoët de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth and Aubigny (Brest 1649 - Paris 1734) as MADDALENA Oil on canvas 97 x 88 cm In an important gilded frame 132 x 122 cm. Provenance: Private collection, Naples The young and attractive noblewoman portrayed in this painting is Louis Renée de Penancoet de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth and Aubigny (Brest 1649 - Paris 1734), known to have been King Charles II's favourite mistress for over fifteen years, from whose relationship Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, was born, but above all to have gone down in history as one of Louis XIV's French informants at the English court. The duchess was a very influential figure at court, promoting French interests and often acting as an intermediary between the king, his ministers and French ambassadors. After the death of Charles II this influence quickly came to an end, forcing her to hastily leave London and renounce all her possessions to return to her homeland, between Aubigny-sur-Nère and Paris, where she died in 1734, always remaining in the sovereign's good graces. The peculiarity of the portrait, probably executed after her return to her homeland, is that the noblewoman takes the form of a charming Mary Magdalene, depicted here following her renunciation of earthly possessions, her rich robes and jewellery, in order to aspire to heavenly riches; We see her immortalised with her long hair loose on one breast, her intriguing but serene gaze directed at the observer, as she rests her crossed hands, as if in prayer, on the ampulla of perfumed ointments and the open book, both iconographic symbols. The custom of being portrayed in the guise of Magdalene was in vogue for powerful women of the great European courts as early as the 16th century, as it represented the most appropriate image to justify the union of female power and virtue. It must be said that court culture exalted only the positive characteristics of her personality, glossing over or downplaying all references to her sinful past and dissolute life. The work, whose style fits perfectly into 17th century French portraiture, suggests the pertinent attribution to the Baroque painter Pierre Mignard (Troyes, 1612 - Paris, 1695), whose works were highly praised and earned him a great reputation as a portrait painter for the demanding Parisian aristocracy at the time of Louis XIV, and who portrayed the Duchess de Kérouaille on numerous occasions. His first important artistic training took place in Simon Vouet's studio, and he then moved to Italy for over twenty years before returning to Paris, blending his own with the influence of Roman classicism. The elegant looseness of touch and sensual refinement typical of Mignard, combined with a very accurate chiaroscuro rendering, inherited from his artistic training in Rome (which he looked up to the examples of Ferdinad Voet), and the exceptional sweetness of the drawing, the floridity of the complexion and the almost enamelled surfaces, and finally, the peculiar pose of the figure portrayed (the beauty of the two intertwined hands...

Early historical portrait in the style of William Aikman believed to be of David Carnegie, 4th Earl of Northesk, a Scottish peer and politician. The work features the central figure ...

The Madonna, Christ Child and St. John Italian School, 18th century oil on wood, framed in period gilt antique frame framed: 16 x 14.5 inches wood: 9 x 6.5 inches provenance: private...

A masterful example of Italian Mannerist painting, this exceptional panel was composed by the renowned Florentine painter Domenico Puligo. Alongside Jacopo Pontormo and Rosso Fiorentino, Puligo is remembered as one of the foremost figures of the Mannerist movement that rose to prominence during the 16th century in Florence. This panel of the Virgin Mary with the Christ child and Saint John the Baptist is a characteristic example of his celebrated devotional images, which grace museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), Museo del Prado (Madrid), Palazzo Borghese (Rome), and Palazzo Pitti (Florence), among many others. Puligo’s skill with color is fully demonstrated in the beautifully preserved work. Considering its age, the vibrancy and the sheer range of color is remarkable. The Virgin Mary’s crimson dress...

This recently rediscovered portrait of Santi di Tito depicts a Florentine senator, with a letter in his hand indicating that the painting was executed in 1574 when the sitter was 66 years old. On the basis of these clues, it is tempting to view it as a portrait of Bartolomeo Panciatichi, who was painted some thirty years before by Bronzino (1503 - 1572). While the treatment of the hands recalls the Florentine tradition of Mannerist portraits, the comparison with Bronzino's portrait illustrates Santi di Tito's search for greater realism, despite the stereotyped composition. 1. Santi di Tito, Counter-Reformation painter and portraitist Santi di Tito was the great painter of the Florentine Counter-Reformation. He proposed a new artistic language that broke away from Mannerism. Little is known about his training in Florence (perhaps alongside Bronzino or Baccio Bandinelli), but this period of training enabled him to join the Company of Saint Luke, the guild of Florentine painters, in 1554. Between 1560 and 1564, Santi di Tito spent time in Rome, where he frequented the workshop of Taddeo Zuccari. This stay had a fundamental influence on his work, thanks to the discovery of the late work of Raphael, but also his encounters with the painters Francesco Salviati and Federico Barocci. Around 1565, Santi di Tito returned to Florence, where he remained until the end of his life, dividing his talents between the creation of important religious paintings and countless portraits. He became one of the city's leading painters, distinguishing himself, in particular, in the creation of large religious compositions in which the spirit of the Counter-Reformation was reflected. In 1568, Santi di Tito became a member of the Confraternity of Saint Thomas Aquinas...

Portrait of a Gentleman with Blue Cloak and Portrait of a Lady in Russet Dress c.1697 Thomas Murray (1663-1735) These fascinating portraits are exquisite examples of portraiture in ...

This large double portrait depicts the sisters Lady Catherine and Lady Jane Brydges, the daughters of John Brydges, the Marquess of Carnarvon (1703-1727). They are seated on a stone...

Portrait of a lady attributed to William Wissing, half-length, wearing a pearl necklace and an amber gown adorned with jewels to the bodice and sleeves, wit...

Guido Reni (Bologna 1575 - 1642) Workshop of Saint Catherine of Alexandria (full details LINK) Oil on canvas Measurements (cm): 96 x 73 - with frame 112 x 88 This splendid work dep...

Portrait of an Elizabethan Gentleman in a Black Doublet c.1595 Manner of Hieronimo Custodis (died c.1593) Oil on copper Unsigned This exquisite oil on copper portrait, painted around 430 years ago, is a splendid survival from the Elizabethan era - the golden age in England’s history, when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne. It is a time that is sandwiched between two golden ages of English renaissance culture, the reigns of Henry VIII and Charles I. This period produced a style of painting quite unlike that anywhere else in Europe and one that deserves serious assessment. Just a couple of years after our portrait was painted, English painting developed on another course, driven mainly by the artists Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger and Isaac Oliver; they depicted a new mood that was pervading Elizabethan and Jacobean society, which was that of romantic melancholy. Elizabethan painting...

Jean-Baptiste SANTERRE (Magny en Véxins 1651 - Paris 1717) Portrait of a couple Oil on original oval canvas H. 115 cm; L. 90 cm (140 x 115 cm with frame) Around 1695 Jean-Baptiste S...

William Roth Born 1754 Portrait of Captain George Meek Oil on canvas, signed & dated 1782 lower right Image size: 25 x 18 ½ inches (64 x 47 cm) Provenance Murray Cassy Jean Piere O...

Agnolo di Cosimo, known as 'il Bronzino' (Monticelli of Florence, 1503 – Florence, 1572) The Holy Family with San Giovannino Oil on table (120 x 90cm. - I...

Circle of Pierre Gobert (Fontainebleau 1662 - Paris 1744) Pair of portraits Portrait of Philip V, King of Spain (Versailles 1683 - Madrid 1746) Portrait of Queen Louise of Savoy (16...

Austrian School 18th Century Tri-Directional Portrait Commemorating the Russo-Turkish War Oil on wooden strips This extraordinary tri-directional portrait exemplifies the rare innovation known as a triscenorama, capturing a pivotal diplomatic moment through ingenious artistic technique. Employing triangularly cut wooden strips, this remarkable work simultaneously depicts three imperial figures central to the Russo-Turkish War of 1735-1739: Empress Anna Ivanovna Romanova of Russia when viewed directly, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI from the left and Ottoman Sultan Mahmud I from the right, commemorating the Treaty of Nissa that concluded this significant European conflict. The portrait utilizes an exceptionally rare optical technique that predates modern movable imaging technology. When observed from different angles, the painted triangular wooden strips create a transformative effect, revealing entirely different imperial portraits as the viewer shifts position. The precision required to execute such a work demonstrates remarkable technical mastery, as the artist had to conceptualize three distinct portraits as well as the meticulous arrangement of the panels. This sophisticated manipulation of perspective creates an interactive viewing experience considered revolutionary for its time. Almost certainly created by an Austrian artist, this diplomatic artwork likely served as a commemorative piece marking the Treaty of Nissa, signed in September 1739. The treaty concluded Russia's ambitious campaign to secure access to the Black Sea while countering Ottoman raids in Ukraine and the Caucasus regions. Given its exceptional quality and historical significance, this portrait was possibly commissioned by Emperor Charles VI himself, potentially serving as a diplomatic gift to either Empress Anna or Sultan Mahmud I during the treaty negotiations. Under Empress Anna's leadership, Russia sought to counter devastating raids from Ottoman allies, particularly the Crimean Tatars...

Portrait of Lady Sarah Cowper, nee Holled [1644-1720]-Circle of Michael Dahl (unsigned)17th century,Oil painting on canvas oval,bust-length . She has dar...

Attributed to Juan Bautista Martínez del Mazo (Castile 1611 - Madrid 1667) pupil and collaborator of Diego Velázquez Portrait of Charles II, King of Spain, as a child (1661 -1700) Spain, c. 1670 Oil on canvas 68 x 49 cm. - In antique frame 96 x 75 cm. The analysis of this portrait, and in particular the style with which its features have been outlined, brings us back to the great tradition of the 17th century Spanish school. The portrait depicts the young King Charles II of Spain, dressed in typical Spanish fashion, the youngest and only son of Philip IV of Spain and his second wife Maria Anna of Austria, as well as the last of the Habsburg dynasty to rule Spain. which portrayed the young ruler in full length at the age of four (dated 1665), dressed in a black suit and cape, and a large feathered...

After Raphael Conestabile Madonna 1483 - 1520 Oil on poplar panel Image size: 8 x 8 inches (20.5 x 20.5 cm) Original ornate hand carved gilt frame Conestabile Madonna Made in compos...

The gentleman in this exquisite oil on canvas portrait, presented by Titan Fine Art, is shown with the grandiloquence characteristic of the English School of painting. He is portray...

Circle of Adam de Coster (Mechelen 1586 – Antwerp 1643) Portrait of a Young Man with a Turban, Dressed in Oriental Style Oil on canvas H. 43 cm ; W. 33 cm Unsigned This portrait of ...

This superb British 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to Matthew William Peters. Painted circa 1780 it is a fine half length portrait of a woman gazing to her left. She has a lovely blue bow and sash on her dress. The sympathetic detail in her face is sublime. A really wonderful 18th century Old Master portrait. Matthew William Peters was known for his late 18th century portraits which had both the influence of Sir Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Provenance. Lincolnshire estate. Condition. Oil on canvas 30 inches by 25 inches unframed and in good condition. Has has restoration. Frame. Housed in an ornate gilt carved swept period frame, 40 inches by 35 inches framed and in good condition. Matthew William Peters (1742-1814) was an English portrait and genre painter who later became an Anglican clergyman and chaplain to George IV. He became known as "William" when he started signing his works as "W. Peters". Peters was born in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, the son of Matthew Peters (born at Belfast, 1711), a civil engineer and member of the Royal Dublin Society; by Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of George Younge of Dublin. The family moved from England to Dublin when Peters was young. Peters received his artistic training from Robert West in Dublin; in 1756 and 1758 he received prizes from the first School of Design in Dublin. In 1759, he was sent by the Dublin Society to London to become a student of Thomas Hudson and won a premium from the Society of Arts. The group also paid for him to travel to Italy to study art from 1761 to 1765. On 23 September 1762 he was elected to the Accademia del Disegno in Florence. Peters returned to England in 1765 and exhibited works at the Society of Artists from 1766 to 1769. Beginning in 1769, Peters exhibited works at the Royal Academy. In 1771 he was elected an associate and in 1777 an academician. He returned to Italy in 1771 and stayed until 1775. He also probably traveled to Paris in 1783–84, where he met Léopold Boilly, Antoine Vestier, and was influenced by the work of Jean-Baptiste Greuze. On 27 February 1769, Peters became a freemason, and he was made the grand portrait painter of the Freemasons and the first provincial grand master of Lincolnshire in 1792. In 1785, he exhibited portraits of the Duke of Manchester and Lord Petre as Grand Master at the Royal Academy exhibition. According to Robin Simon's article in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, no British contemporary had such an Italian manner of painting as Peters, reflecting the old masters he copied. Many of Peters' works were erotic and although these works did not damage his career, according to Simon, Peters later regretted these when he became an ordained clergyman in 1781. He served as the Royal Academy's chaplain from 1784 to 1788, at which time he resigned to become chaplain to the Prince of Wales. In 1784, Peters was awarded the living of Scalford, Leicestershire by Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland. In 1788, the Dowager Duchess gave him the living at Knipton, at which time he also obtained that at Woolsthorpe. These livings were near to Belvoir Castle...

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, ...

17th century Flemish school The Mismatched Couple Oil on canvas 75 x 96 cm. Framed 96 x 118 cm. The curious subject we see depicted in the canvas proposed here belongs to the trad...

Portrait of Johann Theodor of Bavaria (1703-1763) by Joseph Vivien Johann Theodor of Bavaria (* September 3, 1703 in Munich; † January 27, 1763 in Lièg...

Lucas de la Haye, called Luca Fiammingo (Nivelles, 1612-Rome, 1682) Saint Cecilia and two cherubs Oil on canvas 118 x 91 cm. -Framed 129 x 102 cm. Expertise of Prof. Emilio Negro (Bologna) This evocative painting, which we are delighted to exhibit to you, has Saint Cecilia, the Roman noblewoman who later converted to Christianity and a very popular figure in the Baroque period as the patron saint of music, instrumentalists and singers, at the centre of the composition. She is depicted here as a splendid maiden dressed in regal robes...

Oil on oak panel Image size: 25 1/2 x 19 inches (37.5 x 27 inches) 18th Century Auricular gilt frame Provenance New York private collection This portrait of the King Edward VI depicts the boy-king standing in a black and gold embroidered doublet, wearing a jewelled cap. King Edward holds a staff with a globus cruciger set on the table beside him. No expense has been spared in the making of this piece, with gold leaf being applied in many areas to give the effect of the costume's gold embroidery, chain of office and other metal accessories. As the precious male heir to the Tudor dynasty...

Portrait Traditionally Identified as Richard Jones, 1st Earl Of Ranelagh, 17th Century School Of Sir Peter Lely (1618-1680) Large 17th Century Portrait believed to be Rochard Jones...

Johann Boeckhorst (Münster 1604 - Antwerp 1668) Saint Ursula Oil on canvas, 112 x 86 cm Provenance: New York, Christe's, 20.3.1981, lot 88 (as Van Diepenbeeck's circle) The presen...

This beautiful 18th century Italian Old Master oil painting is something rather special. Painted circa 1750 the subject matter is Saint John the Baptist as a very young child. He is ...

Austrian School, 18th Century A Portrait of a Gentleman, thought to be Moses Diego Lopez Pereira, 1st Baron d’Aguilar, in an elaborate coat and a powdered wig Oil on canvas Provena...

Peter Paul Rubens (circle of) An Apostle circular 15.15 inches (38.5 cm) oil on canvas Provenance: Bukowskis Auctions, lot 725149, as "Peter Paul Rubens, circle of".

This lovely Old Master portrait oil painting is attributed to the circle of Joseph Wright of Derby. Painted circa 1780 the painting is of a boy in a tunic and wide collar. A really c...

Remigius Van Leemput Portrait of Nicholas Poyntz 1607-1675 Oil on oak panel Image size: 13 x 10 1/4 inches (33 x 26 cm) Contemporary style frame Provenance The Dalva Brothers Colle...

18th century, circle of Pietro Antonio Rotari (Verona, Sept. 30, 1707 - St. Petersburg, Aug. 31, 1762) Girl with flower basket Oil on canvas, 52 x 70 cm Framed, 62 x 80 cm Unsig...

Portrait of a 17th century lady, three-quarter length, in an ivory silk gown standing on a garden terrace. The lady, painted circa 1670, gestures with her hand towards the gardens and land beyond off her country estate, wearing a sumptuous ivory silk gown adorned with pearls and precious stones and pearl earrings and necklace, signaling her wealth and status. She wears a ring on her left hand, which combined with her pale gown possibly alludes to her recent marriage. There are traces of a signature in ligature 'JG' in a lower fold of the sitter's right hand sleeve. John Greenhill...

Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743) Circle Portrait of Philip V, King of Spain (Versailles 1683 - Madrid 1746) Oil on canvas 72 x 59 cm - framed 87 x 74 cm. The painting examined here, depicting King Philip V of Spain (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743), is to be placed in the circle of the painter Hyacinthe Rigaud (Perpignan 1659 - Paris 1743), one of the most significant portrait painters of his time and a great interpreter of the French school. This is a work of excellent pictorial quality: note the rendering of the facial features and the sharpness of the contours emphasised by the light. The face is characterised by chiaroscuro passages that verisimilarly reproduce light and its effects, rendered with great skill. Philip V wears a black satin costume with a sword at his side, he wears the stiff white Spanish collar and at the same time wears the blue sash of the Order of the Holy Spirit and the collar of the Habsburg Order of the Golden Fleece: this bringing together of the two main orders of France and Spain announced the possibility of a union between the two crowns. In Spanish costume, this effigy is nevertheless fully in line with the French tradition of ceremonial portraiture, also testifying to the renewal that Rigaud had brought about, particularly through the relationship between the character and the splendour of the decoration. The work is inspired, reworked in a reduced format to make it suitable for a private clientele, by the large painting that Rigaud made for the sovereign around 1700, today conserved in the Louvre, reproduced by the same workshop in numerous other versions. The account books...

Work on wood Molded frame in plaster and gilded wood 65 x 57 x 8 cm

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...

Sir Joshua Reynolds 1723-1792 British Sir Henry Bowles Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire Oil on canvas Sir Joshua Reynolds is unequivocally considered the most important English portraitist of the 18th century who was instrumental in adapting the Grand Manner style in the portrait genre. In fact, when the Royal Academy was founded in 1768, Reynolds was elected its first President, setting the precedent of quality for which all other portraitists would strive. Reynolds's portrait of Henry Bowles Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, showcases his genius in the genre and mastery over the medium. Reynolds’s portrait of the Earl expertly invokes classical values with strong lighting, rich colors and expert attention to detail to help underscore the prominence and revered echelon of the sitter. Howard was an esteemed British politician and Knight of the Garter. He served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1771 to 1779, and he played a key role in utilizing mercenaries during the American Revolution and safeguarding Sweden's independence. The portrait employs Reynolds's signature style to render Howard rightfully as a gentleman of distinction. Captured seated in a stately library, the Earl appears learned and austere as he places one hand upon a stack of important documents and looks wistfully into the distance. Reynolds makes these compositional choices decisively, as the seated position gives Howard a weighty appearance of importance and the semi-profile turn captures his countenance at an attractive angle that highlights his strong, masculine features. The work draws on the classical conventions of Greek and Roman art and the Italian Renaissance masters, anchoring the nobleman in a history of refinement. Everything from his strong yet welcoming expression to his pale face enlivened by a rush of blood to the cheeks presents the picture of a strong, vital and powerful leader. As the first president of the Royal Academy in London, Reynolds’s commissions raised the status of an artist in Britain during the Romantic period and also established the portrait as an esteemed high art genre that garnered equal import to the history paintings that reigned supreme in decades prior. Today, Reynolds’s works grace the walls of the most important museums in the world, including the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the National Gallery in London, among others. Circa 1770 Canvas: 50 1/2" high x 40 1/4" wide Framed: 61" high x 52 1/2" wide x 3 1/2" deep Provenance: Sir Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk and 5th Earl of Berkshire, 1739-1779 His mother, Lady Mary Howard, née Finch, Lady Andover, d. 1803 Acquired by descent to her daughter, Frances, and her husband Richard Bagot (later Howard) Acquired by descent to their daughter, Mary (1784-1877), and her husband Col. Fulke Greville Upton (later Howard), d. 1846 Acquired by descent to Lieutenant Colonel H.R.G. Howard Sale, Christie's, London, March 24, 1961, no. 29 Julius Weitzner, London and New York Sale, Paris, Musée Galliéra, December 7, 1965, no. 165 Newhouse Galleries, New York, NY Mr. and Mrs. F. Howard Walsh, Fort Worth, Texas, 1966 Walsh Family Art Trust Private collection, Oregon M.S. Rau, New Orleans Exhibited: British Institution, London, 1844, no. 130, loaned by the Hon. Fulke Greville Howard. South Kensington, "Second special exhibition of National Portraits," 1867, no. 478, lent by the Hon. Mrs. Greville. Agnew's, London, 1903, no. 17. Literature: Algernon Graves and W. V. Cronin, A History of the Works of Sir Joshua Reynolds, P.R.A., vol. 3 (London, 1899), p. 945. David Mannings...

Venetian school of the end of the 16th century Circle of Jacopo Negretti, known as Palma the Younger (Venice 1544 - 1628) Saint Jerome Penitent Oil painting on canvas 85 x 64 cm. - In frame 97 x 76 cm. This splendid painting, which offers us an intense representation of San Girolamo...

A charming 18th-century oil study depicting a woman gathering wheat in the fields. Part of a pair of oils of women harvesting by the same hand. Unsigned. On panel.

Portrait Of Thomas Smythe (1514-1577), 16th Century School of Hans HOLBEIN (1497-1543) Fine huge 16th Century English Old Master portrait of Sir Thomas...

Artus WOLFAERTS (1581-1641) Study of a head Oil on paper, transferred on panel. 39,5 x 29 cm Unsigned Provenance Private collection, France Firstly thought to be from Rubens’s S...

An early 18th century portrait of a young lady, half length, wearing a blue silk gown with white chemise and gold trimmed cloak draped across her arm and shoulders. Her sensitively observed soft expression and skilfully painted youthful 'dewy' complexion are reminiscent of the portrait style of John Closterman whose work Murray would have been familiar with, being a close colleague of Murray's teacher, John Riley. An old label on the reverse identifies the sitter as a young Princess Charlotte...

This is a superb Italian Old Master portrait oil painting attributed to circle of Guido Reni. It is a half length portrait of the penitent Mary Magdalene...

This lovely 18th century Old Master portrait oil painting is by noted British artist Francis Cotes. It was painted circa 1760 when Cotes was preferring oil as a medium and comparison...

Portrait of a lady richly dressed in a purple silk gown with white sleeves, a gold coloured cloak draped across one shoulder, her blonde curls worn up...

This beautiful Italian 18th Century old masters oil painting on oval canvas with giltwood frame is attributed to Solimena and features a religious scene. In this splendid oval-shaped painting are depicted Saint Dominic...

A delightfully tender 18th-century family portrait depicting mother and daughter - Anna and Adelaide - with their cherished spaniel. The artist beautifully conveys the intimate bond ...

Wonderful Italian painting from the first half of the 18th century. Oil on canvas artwork depicting a fascinating biblical story, the beheading of the Babylonian leader Holofernes by...