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Old Masters Paintings

OLD MASTERS

Encompassing centuries of change in Europe between 1300 and 1800, from booms of prosperity to bloody revolutions, Old Masters describes a wide range of artists. The informal term was derived from the title of an artist who trained in a guild long enough to become a master, such as Leonardo da Vinci, who studied in a Florence painters’ guild. However, Old Masters paintings, prints and other art is now used to refer to work made by any artist with a high level of skill in painting, drawing, sculpture or printmaking who worked during this era.

The 15th century’s expansive trade and commerce spread culture across borders. A vibrant period of art emerged, bolstered by studies of anatomy and nature that influenced a new visual realism. From Raphael and Michelangelo in the Renaissance to Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer in the Dutch Golden Age, artists expressed emotion, naturalism, color and light in new ways. El Greco and Paolo Veronese were leaders in the dramatic style of Mannerism, while Caravaggio and Peter Paul Rubens demonstrated the movement and meticulous detail of Baroque art.

Historically, most attention was concentrated on male artists, but recent research and exhibitions have elevated the impactful work of women such as Rachel Ruysch and Artemisia Gentileschi. In late-18th-century France, female artists like Adélaïde Labille-Guiard and Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun were prominent names. Nevertheless, access to the academies and guilds was highly restricted for women, and even those able to establish practices were expected to adhere to portraits and still lifes rather than the grand history paintings being created by men.

Find a collection of Old Masters prints, paintings, drawings and watercolors and other art on 1stDibs.

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Style: Old Masters
Fine 1700's Italian Old Master Ink & Wash Drawing Roman Allegorical Providenza
Fine 1700's Italian Old Master Ink & Wash Drawing Roman Allegorical Providenza

Fine 1700's Italian Old Master Ink & Wash Drawing Roman Allegorical Providenza

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

'Providenza' Italian School, 18th century ink and wash drawing on paper, framed within a light oak wood frame (behind glass) image size: 10.5 x 7 inches overall framed: 17 x 13 inche...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper

Crucifixion, Antwerp, Flemish 16th century, oil on panel
Crucifixion, Antwerp, Flemish 16th century, oil on panel

Crucifixion, Antwerp, Flemish 16th century, oil on panel

Located in PARIS, FR

Crucifixion, studio of the Master of the Half-Figures (Antwerp, active 1500-1550), not signed Antwerp School, mid-16th century Oil on oak panel , h. 88 cm, w. 59 cm Original frame, framed: h. 98 cm, w. 68 cm A rare example of Antwerp painting from the first half of the 16th century, our Crucifixion captivates as much by the quality of its expansive river landscape as by the delicacy of its figures and the brilliance of its palette. The richness of the colors, the balance between devotion and narrative, and the subtlety of the atmospheric effects make it a particularly representative work of the artistic refinement developed in the workshop of the Master of the Half-Figures. Through its remarkable synthesis of the world-landscape inherited from Patinir and the expressive gentleness characteristic of the Master of the Half-Figures, this composition stands out as a particularly accomplished example of the Antwerp Flemish Renaissance. Our painting of the Crucifixion is organized around the central figure of Christ nailed to a high cross erected atop Golgotha. His slender, pale body stands out against a blue-green sky that lightens towards the horizon, creating an atmospheric depth characteristic of Flemish painting of this period. The bowed head, encircled by the crown of thorns, expresses agony in a restrained pose. The white loincloth, tied at the front according to a recurring motif in the work of the Master of the Half-Figures, has one end drawn between the legs before billowing outwards in a movement lifted by the wind, subtly animating Christ's silhouette. At the foot of the cross, a skull and a few bones evoke Adam and the redemption of humanity through Christ's sacrifice. To the left stands the Virgin Mary, enveloped in a flowing blue-green mantle whose heavy folds accentuate her contemplative posture. Her pale face, framed by a white veil, expresses silent sorrow. Kneeling at the center of the composition, Mary Magdalene embraces the cross in a gesture of fervent devotion, while to the right, Saint John, clad in a richly textured red cloak, gazes up at Christ, his hands folded across his chest. Contrary to the iconography typically found in 16th-century Antwerp workshops, he appears here as a bearded, middle-aged man. This relatively rare characteristic, however, is found in several works by the Master of the Half-Figures. The Virgin's face displays the typical characteristics of the Master of Half-Figures' repertoire : a high forehead, full cheeks, a rounded chin, and a gentle expression tinged with restrained melancholy. This youthful, feminine physiognomy is found in numerous depictions of Virgins, Magdalenes, and other saints from his workshop. The figures are also distinguished by their smooth complexions, elegant proportions, and attention to the richness of the fabrics, favoring formal refinement over dramatic expressiveness. The background unfolds according to the world-landscape formula inherited from Joachim Patinir. A vast panorama, blending a fortified city, estuary, winding paths, rocky outcrops, and bluish hills, stretches behind the sacred figures. At the heart of this lively river landscape, a small port, quays, and several boats also appear, their silhouettes punctuating the waterway and testifying to the attention paid by Antwerp painters to the commercial and maritime activities that ensured the city's prosperity. The composition is structured by a succession of narrative planes that invite the viewer's eye to move through the image as a continuous story, a technique characteristic of Antwerp painting in the first half of the 16th century. Behind the main scene appears the episode of the Carrying of the Cross, depicted by a group of soldiers and horsemen, with Golgotha rising on the mountain to the left, while to the right, in a grotto carved into the rocks, unfolds the Entombment of Christ. This multifaceted narrative, integrated into the landscape, enriches the meditative dimension of the work while highlighting its kinship with the inventions of Patinir. The attribution to the workshop of the Master of the Half-Figures seems all the more plausible given that several art historians, notably Robert Koch and Walter Gibson...

Category

16th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

17th Century by Antonio Zanchi Prometheus Bound Oil on canvas
17th Century by Antonio Zanchi Prometheus Bound Oil on canvas

17th Century by Antonio Zanchi Prometheus Bound Oil on canvas

Located in Milano, Lombardia

Antonio Zanchi (Este, Italy, 1631 – Venice, Italy, 1722) Title: Prometheus Bound Year: 1655-1660 Medium: Oil on canvas Dimensions: without frame 188 × 146 cm – with frame 194 x 152 x...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Huge 17th Century Flemish Old Master Oil Painting Figures Playing Cards
Huge 17th Century Flemish Old Master Oil Painting Figures Playing Cards

Huge 17th Century Flemish Old Master Oil Painting Figures Playing Cards

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Card Players Flemish Old Master, 17th century based on a version (in reverse) of a painting by Cornelis de Vos (Flemish 1584-1651) oil on canvas, unframed Canvas: 39 x 62 inches ...

Category

Mid-17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

A Peacock and Other Fowl in a Landscape
A Peacock and Other Fowl in a Landscape

A Peacock and Other Fowl in a Landscape

Located in Stoke, Hampshire

Philips van Kouwenbergh (1671-1729) A Peacock and Other Fowl in a Landscape Oil on canvas Canvas Size 37 3/8 x 45 7/8 in Framed Size 44 1/2 x 53 in Provenance With John Bennett Fine...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Period Italian Portrait Miniature
Period Italian Portrait Miniature

Period Italian Portrait Miniature

By Floriano Pietrocola

Located in Roma, IT

This extremely rare miniature, attributed to the great miniaturist Floriano Pietrocola (Vasto, 3 May 1809 – Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi, 4 August 1899), depicts His Eminence Cardinal Pa...

Category

Mid-19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Wood

Large Ornate Classical Flowers in Vase Still Life Oil Painting
Large Ornate Classical Flowers in Vase Still Life Oil Painting

Large Ornate Classical Flowers in Vase Still Life Oil Painting

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Classical Still Life of Flowers by the Miguel Canals Studio, Spain oil on canvas, unframed canvas: 23.5 x 18 inches Provenance: Private collection Condition: very good condition Fo...

Category

20th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of a Bewigged Gentleman, Oil on Canvas, Early 18th Century
Portrait of a Bewigged Gentleman, Oil on Canvas, Early 18th Century

Portrait of a Bewigged Gentleman, Oil on Canvas, Early 18th Century

By Enoch Seeman

Located in St. Albans, GB

Enoch Seeman Canvas Size: 30 x 25" (76 x 62cm) Outside Frame Size: 37 x 32" (92 x 80cm) 1694-1744 He was born in Danzig, now Gdansk, Poland, around 1694. His father, also Enoch...

Category

Early 18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

17th Century Italian Old Master Oil Painting Moses Striking Water from the Rock
17th Century Italian Old Master Oil Painting Moses Striking Water from the Rock

17th Century Italian Old Master Oil Painting Moses Striking Water from the Rock

By Pier (Pietro) Dandini

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Moses Striking Water from the Rock; Circle of Pietro Dandini, Italian 1646-1712 Italian School, late 17th century oil on canvas, framed framed: 3...

Category

Early 18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Elegant Company Van Mieris Paint 17/18th Century Oil on canvas Old master
Elegant Company Van Mieris Paint 17/18th Century Oil on canvas Old master

Elegant Company Van Mieris Paint 17/18th Century Oil on canvas Old master

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Frans van Mieris the Elder (Leiden 1635 - Leiden 1681) Workshop Elegant company in an interior (or “Self-portrait with his family”) Oil on canvas 50 x 41 cm In a beautiful fra...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Greek Orthodox 19th century portable triptych Hodegetria Madonna
Greek Orthodox 19th century portable triptych Hodegetria Madonna

Greek Orthodox 19th century portable triptych Hodegetria Madonna

Located in Varmo, IT

Greek Orthodox painter (19th century) — Portable triptych with the Hodegetria Madonna and four saints. 30.5 × 19 cm (closed), 30.5 × 37 cm (open). Tempera on panel, hinged triptych...

Category

Mid-19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Allegory Music Trémolières Paint 18th Century Oil on canvas Old master France
Allegory Music Trémolières Paint 18th Century Oil on canvas Old master France

Allegory Music Trémolières Paint 18th Century Oil on canvas Old master France

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet, 1703 - Paris, 1739) Allegory of Music (the Muse Euterpe) Oil on canvas (112 x 86 cm. - In original lacquered frame 122 x 95 cm.) Work acco...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

1800's Italian Grand Tour Oil Painting Theseus Temple Athens in Landscape
1800's Italian Grand Tour Oil Painting Theseus Temple Athens in Landscape

1800's Italian Grand Tour Oil Painting Theseus Temple Athens in Landscape

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

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

Category

Early 19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Flowers Still-life Volo 17th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master Italt
Flowers Still-life Volo 17th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master Italt

Flowers Still-life Volo 17th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master Italt

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Francesca Volò Smiller, called Vincenzina (Milan, 1657 - 1700) attributed Floral composition overflowing from an embossed vase (LINK) Oil on canvas 79 x 61 cm. Framed 89 x 70 cm. T...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

19th Century Italian Miniature Painting Christ Garden of Gethsemane Angels
19th Century Italian Miniature Painting Christ Garden of Gethsemane Angels

19th Century Italian Miniature Painting Christ Garden of Gethsemane Angels

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Italian School, late 19th century Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane miniature painting, framed framed: 3.5 x 3 inches image: 2.5 x 2 inches provenance: private collection, Italy con...

Category

Late 19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Watercolor

Old Masters European Antique Oval Portrait of a Woman
Old Masters European Antique Oval Portrait of a Woman

Old Masters European Antique Oval Portrait of a Woman

By (After) Peter Paul Rubens

Located in Wilton Manors, FL

Beautiful portrait of a young woman in the manner of Peter Paul Rubens. Oil on oval canvas measuring 12 7/8 x 16 inches. Unsigned. Canvas was originally painted for rectangular for...

Category

Early 19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Travellers in Wooded Landscape - Dutch 17th century art Old Master oil painting
Travellers in Wooded Landscape - Dutch 17th century art Old Master oil painting

Travellers in Wooded Landscape - Dutch 17th century art Old Master oil painting

By Jan Wijnants (circle)

Located in Hagley, England

An original, very large Dutch Old Master oil on canvas which is attributed to circle of Jan Wijnants and was painted circa 1680. The huge canvas is in good clean condition and depicts a wooded landscape with travellers passing through. A delightful very large country house old master painting. Provenance. Private collection, Christies. Condition. Oil on canvas. Very large, image size is 53 inches by 41 inches and in good clean condition. Framed size is 63 by 51 inches. The carved original 17th Century wood frame...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Landscape Near Felday, Surrey
Landscape Near Felday, Surrey

Landscape Near Felday, Surrey

By Abraham Hulk the Younger

Located in Hillsborough, NC

Dutch/English artist Abraham Hulk the Younger (1851-1922) is most known for landscapes of the British countryside. This work is one of a pair (the second work is also available by s...

Category

Late 19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Late XIX Century Italian Church Interior
Late XIX Century Italian Church Interior

Late XIX Century Italian Church Interior

Located in Roma, IT

A beautiful oil painting on canvas from the second half of the 19th century. It depicts a church interior with rare intensity. The attention to detail, the quality of the brushwork, ...

Category

1880s Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

The Grape Seller - Workshop of Jacob Ochtervelt
The Grape Seller - Workshop of Jacob Ochtervelt

The Grape Seller - Workshop of Jacob Ochtervelt

Located in Stockholm, SE

Jacob Ochtervelt (Workshop) The Grape Seller oil on canvas unframed: 80.7 x 61 cm.; 31 ¾ x 24 in. framed: 109.5 x 89 cm.; 43 1/8 x 35 in. Essay: This captivating piece, originating from the studio of the revered Dutch artist Jacob Ochtervelt, mirrors the composition of a signed and dated 1669 canvas by Ochtervelt that is presently housed in the Hermitage museum. Its subject, "The Grape Seller" immerses us in a typical 17th-century interior, replete with characters from various strata of society. At the center, a fruit vendor is depicted bending over to weigh grapes for the buyer. A child hands some of the grapes to her mother to taste, their attentive maid standing by. The backdrop showcases typical Ochtervelt details: a hint of the city visible through the doorway, light filtering in through an overhead window, and a playful dog at their side. The exquisite quality of the piece is evident in the minutiae, such as the intricate detailing of the mother's earring, which in reality spans only a few millimeters yet boasts impressive attention to detail. Initially, Sotheby's considered this work to be an autograph piece by Ochtervelt. But due to some uncertainty, it was auctioned as Workshop of Jacob Ochtervelt. On the other hand, the esteemed Cabinet Turquin in Paris leans toward attributing the piece directly to Jacob Ochtervelt himself. The painting is framed in an authentic period frame, which has been delicately restored by Stockholm's Förgyllning och Bildhuggeri. The frame retains its age-old patina and, while in used condition, has minor imperfections adding to its charm. Another interesting thing worth to mention is the painting's provenance. It was once owned by the 1st Viscount Rothermere (1868-1940), the founder of the Daily Mail and Daily Mirror...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Woodland Scene Chapelfields, Norwich - British Old Master oil painting aft Crome
Woodland Scene Chapelfields, Norwich - British Old Master oil painting aft Crome

Woodland Scene Chapelfields, Norwich - British Old Master oil painting aft Crome

By George Vincent

Located in Hagley, England

This lovely British Old Master landscape oil painting with excellent provenance is attributed to being by George Vincent, after John Crome. Painted circa 1820 the setting is a woodl...

Category

1820s Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

A Riding Party
A Riding Party

A Riding Party

By John Wootton

Located in Stoke, Hampshire

John Wootton (1686-1765) A Riding Party Oil on canvas No visible signature Canvas Size 35 x 45 1/4 in Framed Size - 41 x 52 in Provenance The Property of a Private Collector, Christ...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

17th Century Flemish Old Master Oil on Panel Cavalry Skirmish Soldiers & Horses
17th Century Flemish Old Master Oil on Panel Cavalry Skirmish Soldiers & Horses

17th Century Flemish Old Master Oil on Panel Cavalry Skirmish Soldiers & Horses

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

The Cavalry Skirmish Flemish School, mid 17th century circle of Lambert de Hondt (Flemish, 1620-1665) oil on panel, framed Framed: 21 x 27 inches Board: 16 x 22 inches Provenance: private collection, France Condition: very good condition, with old repairs and thinning in places. This painting, attributed to the circle of Lambert de Hondt (Flemish, 17th century), depicts an intense battle scene, typical of Flemish military compositions of the time. Lambert de Hondt was known for his battle scenes, landscapes, and hunting scenes, often filled with dynamic action and fine detail, and this work clearly reflects his influence. The artwork portrays a cavalry skirmish with soldiers in traditional 17th-century military dress, including red tunics...

Category

Mid-17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Diana Hunting in Wooded Landscape - 17thC Old Master French art oil painting
Diana Hunting in Wooded Landscape - 17thC Old Master French art oil painting

Diana Hunting in Wooded Landscape - 17thC Old Master French art oil painting

By Jean François Millet

Located in Hagley, England

This superb French Old Master oil painting with excellent provenance is by Jean Francois I Millet. It was painted circa 1675 and is a figurative landscape depicting Diana hunting in ...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Allegory Poetry Trémolières Paint 18th Century OIl on canvas Old master France
Allegory Poetry Trémolières Paint 18th Century OIl on canvas Old master France

Allegory Poetry Trémolières Paint 18th Century OIl on canvas Old master France

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Pierre Charles Trémolières (Cholet, 1703 - Paris, 1739) Allegory of Poetry (the Muse Calliope) Oil on canvas (86 x 112 cm - In original lacquered frames 122 x 95 cm.) Work ac...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Toilet Venus Albani Mythological 17/18th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master
Toilet Venus Albani Mythological 17/18th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master

Toilet Venus Albani Mythological 17/18th Century Paint Oil on canvas Old master

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Toilet of Venus Francesco Albani (Bologna 1578 - 1660) Follower of Oil on canvas 64 x 96 cm In fine gilded frame 83 x 121 cm. The painting on offer, depicting ‘Venus’ Toilet',...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Escuela española (XIX) - Óleo sobre tabla - Escena de la Misericordia
Escuela española (XIX) - Óleo sobre tabla - Escena de la Misericordia

Escuela española (XIX) - Óleo sobre tabla - Escena de la Misericordia

Located in Sant Celoni, ES

Esta obra es una de las escenas de la Misericordia, en concreto la de "Visitar a los presos" La obra aparentemente no va firmada Se presenta tal cual sin enmarcar El estado de la ...

Category

Early 19th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Antique English 19th century marine scene
Antique English 19th century marine scene

Antique English 19th century marine scene

By William Anderson

Located in Woodbury, CT

Outstanding English late 18th / early 19th century marine scene by one of Britain's best known and sought after painters. William (or Wiliam) Anderson (1757 – 27 May 1837) was a Scottish artist specializing in maritime and patriotic themes. He was well-regarded for his detailed and accurate portraits of ships under sail, exhibiting his works annually in London between 1787 and 1811 and then occasionally until 1834. Anderson influenced other artists, notably John Ward and others of the Hull school. Anderson's early life is obscure, but he is known to have trained as a shipwright before moving to London to become a maritime painter when he was about 30. His training served him well as a painter, providing "a practical nautical knowledge" of his subjects. He earned a reputation for "accuracy and refinement of detail" and was admired for his bright, clear colours. He worked in both oils and watercolours. He based his style on that of well-known Dutch maritime...

Category

1810s Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Wood Panel

Fine 1700's Italian Old Master Ink & Wash Drawing Roman Allegorical Napoli
Fine 1700's Italian Old Master Ink & Wash Drawing Roman Allegorical Napoli

Fine 1700's Italian Old Master Ink & Wash Drawing Roman Allegorical Napoli

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

'Napoli' Italian School, 18th century ink and wash drawing on paper, framed within a light oak wood frame (behind glass) image size: 10.5 x 7 inches overall framed: 17 x 13 inches co...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Ink, Watercolor, Archival Paper

Antique oil painting 18th Century large upright Flowers, Tulips, Lilies and Rose
Antique oil painting 18th Century large upright Flowers, Tulips, Lilies and Rose

Antique oil painting 18th Century large upright Flowers, Tulips, Lilies and Rose

By Willem van Leen

Located in St. Albans, GB

Circle of Willem Van Leen 1753 - 1825 Canvas Size: 46 x 32" (117 x 81 cm) Outside Frame Size: 56 x 42" (117 x 81 cm) Oil on canvas Unsigned Dutch painter. He was the third child...

Category

Late 18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Portrait of Lady, Mary Hammond, Oil on Panel c.1618-22, Manor House Provenance
Portrait of Lady, Mary Hammond, Oil on Panel c.1618-22, Manor House Provenance

Portrait of Lady, Mary Hammond, Oil on Panel c.1618-22, Manor House Provenance

By Cornelius Johnson

Located in London, GB

Portrait of Mary Hammond in Sumptuous Attire, Jewels and Lace c.1618-22 Circle of Cornelius Johnson (1593-1661) This portrait of a lady, presented by Titan Fine Art, is an exquisite example of early seventeenth-century portraiture, remarkable both for the lavishness of its subject’s attire and for the distinguished provenance that has accompanied it across four centuries that adds a rich layer of historical significance. It was once part of the notable collection of Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet (1628–1699) at Moor Park, a stately mansion in Hertfordshire. Temple was a diplomat, essayist, philosopher, and the patron of Jonathan Swift. He was a key participate at an important period in English history, helping not only to negotiate the Triple Alliance, but also the marriage between William of Orange and Princess Mary. His collection at Moor Park was well known in its day, reflecting both his cultivated taste in art and literature and his international connections. Its fabulous attire, rendered with almost microscopic attention, is not merely decorative but emblematic of a world in which visual display was a language of power. Its provenance, stretching from the English country house and Enlightenment scholarship to modernist circles, forms a microcosm of cultural exchange across four centuries. Thus, the portrait of Mary Hammond stands as both a masterpiece of early seventeenth-century craftsmanship and a witness to the grand narrative of collecting and connoisseurship—a testament to the enduring fascination of beauty, status, and history intertwined. By tradition the portrait depicts Mary Hammond (born c.1602), who was Sir William Temple’s mother, and the daughter of the royal physician who served James I, Dr John Hammond (c.1555–1617) and whose family owned Chertsey Abbey in Surrey. The woman appears between 18 and 25 years old, and Mary would be about 18–20 when the portrait was painted circa 1620, therefore this matches the apparent age of the sitter and the fashion perfectly. Mary stood at the intersection of learned/courtly and gentry worlds. On 22 June 1627 she married her first cousin (a common practice for consolidating family wealth and influence during that era.) Sir John Temple (1600-1677) at St Michael, Cornhill in the City of London. The couple resided nearby, at Blackfriars. Her marriage to Sir Temple placed her at the heart of the social and political circles that shaped British history. The couple had at least five children, and they became highly significant historical figures: The eldest son, Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet, became a distinguished diplomat, statesman, and essayist, famous for his role in the Triple Alliance and as a patron and mentor to the writer Jonathan Swift – our portrait was in his collection. Their daughter, Martha Temple, later Lady Giffard, was a notable figure in her own right. She became her brother William's first biographer and a respected letter-writer, providing a rare female perspective on the events and high society of the time. Another son, also named Sir John Temple, became Attorney General for Ireland and was involved in the turbulent politics surrounding the English Civil War and the Act of Settlement in Ireland. Mary died in November 1638 after giving birth to twins and was buried at Penshurst, Kent. The family's connection to Penshurst Place is a major point of interest as this historic manor was the seat of the Sidney family, a major aristocratic and literary dynasty. The portrait was in the collection of the Mary’s son, Sir William Temple. From there it descended to his daughter, and then to her nephew, the Reverend Nicholas Bacon of Spixworth Park, Norfolk (his mother was Dorothy Temple who died in 1758). Indeed, by this time, many Temple relics were in the collection at Spixworth including the engagement ring of the illustrious Dorothy Osborne, Lady Temple, wife of Sir William Temple. The portrait thus linked two prominent English families—the Temples and the Bacons—for generations. It is listed in a Spixworth Park inventory of 27 October 1910 by the local collector and art historian, Prince Duleep Singh. He described it with characteristic precision as: “No. 69. Lady Half Length, body and face turned towards the sinister, hazel eyes upwards to the dexter, red hair dressed low and over the ears, a jewelled coronet behind, pearl ear-rings tied with black strings. Dress: black, bodice cut low and square, with lace all round the opening and over shoulders, sleeves with double slashes showing red lining and lace under, falling thin pleated lace collar, black strings tied behind it, a jewel suspended on a black string round the neck, and a double row of agate and silver beads all round to the shoulders. M. In brown veined stone frame. Age 30. Date c.1620. It is called ‘Dutch portrait from Moor Park, mentioned by Nicholas Bacon of Coddenham and Shrubland as a very valuable painting.’ A few years later, when Robert Bacon Longe’s executors sold the contents of Spixworth Park (19–22 May 1912), the portrait appeared as lot 262, described as: “A very valuable half-length portrait on panel, ‘Dutch Lady, with deep lace collar and pearl and amethyst necklace, pendant, and ear-rings, and auburn hair, with coronet’ Early Dutch School 1620.” Following this sale the painting entered the collection of David and Constance Garnett, prominent literary figures of the early twentieth century, before being gifted to Andre Vladimervitch Tchernavin by 1949, and subsequently passed by him to the present owners in 1994. The two great houses associated with the painting, Moor Park and Spixworth Park, further underscore its pedigree. Moor Park, in Hertfordshire, was among the grandest country estates of seventeenth-century England—its gardens famously redesigned by Sir William Temple himself and later influencing landscape design across Europe. Sir William's Temple's secretary was Jonathan Swift, who lived at Moor Park between 1689 and 1699. Swift began to write "A Tale of the Tub" and "The Battle of the Books" at Moor Park. Spixworth Park, near Norwich, was an Elizabethan country house in Spixworth, Norfolk, located just north of the city of Norwich. It was home to successive generations of the Bacon family, one of Norfolk’s most distinguished dynasties (later, the Bacon Longe family), who were considerable land owners (owning Reymerston Hall, Norfolk, Hingham Hall, Norfolk, Dunston Hall, Norfolk, Abbot's Hall, Stowmarket, and Yelverton Hall, Norfolk). Spixworth Hall and the surrounding parkland remained in the Longe family for 257 years until 1952, when it was demolished. Rendered with meticulous precision and sumptuous detail, the painting depicts an elegantly dressed woman—her poise, costume, and jewels all communicating a message of wealth, refinement, and social rank. Every brushstroke conveys an artist deeply attuned to the textures of luxury and the nuances of feminine dignity. The sitter’s attire is nothing short of magnificent. Her bodice and sleeves are fashioned from the finest black silk or satin, the fabric absorbing and reflecting light in equal measure, suggesting both depth and lustre. Around her shoulders lies an opulent lace ruff—a deep, radiating lace collar worked in such intricate detail that it testifies to both the artist’s technical skill and the sitter’s extravagant taste. Lace of this quality, especially Venetian or Flemish bobbin lace, was one of the costliest materials available in early seventeenth-century Europe, its weight worth more than gold, and was a marker of prestige that rivalled jewels in value. The painter has taken great care to delineate every loop and scallop of the lace, achieving an almost tactile realism. Pale skin was also a desired beauty standard, sometimes accentuated with contrasting black ribbons or strings. Her jewels amplify this display of affluence. Matching earrings and a delicate coronet or jewelled hair ornament with a feather adorn her hair, which is styled in the modest yet fashionable manner of the time. These details are far from decorative excess—they serve as visual emblems of social standing, refinement, and lineage. Portraits of this kind were statements of both identity and aspiration, intended to project a family’s prosperity and moral virtue to posterity. The portrait was most likely painted in London around 1618-1622. The low-cut, décolletage-revealing neckline was fashionable in the courts of England and France during the late Elizabethan and Jacobean eras (c. 1590s-1610s), this style did not prevail in the public fashion of the Low Countries at this time. This style of lace ruff — delicate needle lace with geometric openwork — was fashionable from c.1615 to 1622, and the jewelled caul (hair net) and lace edging over a stiffened coif are consistent with high-status English women’s portraiture between 1610–1620. The puffed sleeve slash and the use of pink satin beneath black velvet belong squarely to the late Jacobean...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Panel

Classical Landscape - French 17th century art Old Master oil painting
Classical Landscape - French 17th century art Old Master oil painting

Classical Landscape - French 17th century art Old Master oil painting

By Jean François Millet

Located in Hagley, England

This superb 17th century French Old Master oil painting is attributed to Jean Francois Millet. Painted circa 1670 it is a classical landscape with figures by a bend in a river in the...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

17th Century Italian Old Master Oil - Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple
17th Century Italian Old Master Oil - Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple

17th Century Italian Old Master Oil - Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Artist/ School: 17th Century Italian School Title: The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple Medium: oil painting on canvas, framed Size: canvas: 21” x 16” (53.3 x 40.8cm) Pro...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Large 18th Century European Oil Painting Portrait of Noble Lady Lace Collars
Large 18th Century European Oil Painting Portrait of Noble Lady Lace Collars

Large 18th Century European Oil Painting Portrait of Noble Lady Lace Collars

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Portrait of a Noble Lady European School, 18th century oil on canvas, framed framed: 37.5 inches canvas: 30 x 24.5 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: very good ...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

18th Century French Oil Painting Tavern Scene Interior Merry Making Figures
18th Century French Oil Painting Tavern Scene Interior Merry Making Figures

18th Century French Oil Painting Tavern Scene Interior Merry Making Figures

Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

Merry Makers in the Tavern French School, 18th century oil on canvas canvas: 8 x 11 inches provenance: private collection, France condition: good and sound condition

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Equestrian Portrait Florentine Painter 17/18th Century Paint Oil on canvas Italy
Equestrian Portrait Florentine Painter 17/18th Century Paint Oil on canvas Italy

Equestrian Portrait Florentine Painter 17/18th Century Paint Oil on canvas Italy

Located in Riva del Garda, IT

Florentine painter, 17th-18th century Equestrian portrait of Pietro Strozzi (Florence, 1511 - Thionville, 1558) Oil on canvas 79 x 115 cm. - Framed cm. 92 x 127 A valiant knight, p...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

large 18th century portrait gentleman oil on canvas
large 18th century portrait gentleman oil on canvas

large 18th century portrait gentleman oil on canvas

Located in York, GB

A fine, imposing 18th century portrait of an unknown aristocrat,housed in a gilt frame The artist is also unidentified but certainly a talented hand, in the circle of one of the fine old masters of the period. Unsigned The size overall is 148 x 121 cm whilst the painting is 128 x 101 cm In overall good condition the frame at the bottom has bowed slightly The painting has been checked whilst being cleaned and has not been affected in any way . SHIPPING Free delivery to mainland uk ,worldwide shipping available please email for quote Delivery usually within 14 working days, insured please provide telephone/email details for courier. All taxes/customs etc to be paid for by purchaser. RETURNS (The Consumer Contracts Regulations) Whilst we are sure that you will be extremely happy with your purchase, if for any reason you are not, then you are entitled to return the item to us for a refund. For all purchases made you are entitled to return the item(s) for a period of up to 14 days following receipt by you or a representative indicated by you. Please contact us to confirm that you are returning the item(s) and the reason for doing so. Upon receipt of the item(s) we will refund the purchase price via your original payment method...

Category

18th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

Portrait of a Lady holding a lemon, c. 1665-75
Portrait of a Lady holding a lemon, c. 1665-75

Portrait of a Lady holding a lemon, c. 1665-75

By Jacob Huysmans

Located in Edinburgh, Scotland

Jacob Huysmans (Antwerp 1633-1696 London) Portrait of a Lady holding a lemon, c. 1665-75 Three-quarter-length, wearing extensive jewellery, within an architectural interior Formerly ...

Category

1670s Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Oil

17th Century Spanish school oil painting of a soldier arriving at a village
17th Century Spanish school oil painting of a soldier arriving at a village

17th Century Spanish school oil painting of a soldier arriving at a village

Located in Petworth, West Sussex

Spanish School (17th Century) A soldier arriving at a village Oil on canvas Unsigned 29 x 43.1/4 in. (74 x 110 cm.) Oil on canvas, not relined. Surface dirt and varnish discolourati...

Category

17th Century Old Masters Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Old Masters paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Old Masters paintings available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. If you’re looking to add paintings created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of orange, blue, yellow and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Antonio Savisio, Pietro Colonna, Goyo Dominguez, and Nicolaes Maes. Frequently made by artists working with Paint, and Oil Paint and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Old Masters paintings, so small editions measuring 4.5 inches across are also available. Prices for paintings made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $338 and tops out at $1,495,000, while the average work sells for $7,505.