Cornelis Dusart Paintings

We are pleased to offer a captivating portrait, most likely painted in the late 18th century, attributed to an artist within the circle of Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich. This oil ...

This finely executed oil painting, attributed to the circle of Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich, captures the contemplative expression of an elderly man, his gaze lowered in quiet re...

A Rare 17th-Century Portrait of John Calvin This small interesting portrait, of John Calvin (1509–1564) offers a rare glimpse into the enduring legacy of the French-Swiss reformer. P...

Titan Fine Art presents this exquisite oil on panel portrait depicting a handsome young gentleman in an exuberant black damask doublet. The pose, with one hand holding gloves and the other akimbo, was one that was well-established for gentleman of the upper echelons of society by the time this work was painted. The principle governing portraits at this time was the recording and defining in visual terms of the position of a sitter in society. In addition to brilliant and complex symbols of luxury, they often contained many symbolic elements too; the inclusion of gloves was often used in portraits that celebrated a betrothal as in ancient times gloves were used to seal a marriage contract. The extraordinary costume of a black shimmering doublet, the brilliant white reticella ruff, and the cuffs edged with lace were immensely costly… this attire proclaims to every onlooker that this is a superior being. The rendering of the reticella lace ruff is exquisite and the artist has recorded the design that runs through the black damask fabric with meticulous attention to detail. The preservation of this black pigment is remarkable considering the age of the work. Black pigments are especially vulnerable to fade and wear over time partly due to environmental condition but also from unprofessional cleaning. This work is an exquisite example from the period. According to the inscription in the upper right, the gentleman was in his 22nd year of age in 1624. The coat of arms, which is displayed without a crest, may be ‘blazoned’ in the language of heraldry, as: Sable on a Chevron between in chief two Roundels and in base a Billet [or possibly Square] Or three Martlets Sable. In plainer English this means a black (Sable) background, spanned by a gold (Or) chevron, above which are two golden solid circles (Roundels), and below which is a gold rectangle (Billet); on the chevron are three small black birds (Martlets). Martlets are a stylised form of heraldic bird, believed to be based on the swift, which are conventionally drawn with small tufts instead of feet. In Continental Europe it is also conventional for them to be drawn without beaks, as appears to be the case here. The birds in this instance also have a vaguely duck-like appearance. Five families have been identified with very close armorial bearings to the one in our portrait. They are the (van) Houthem’s (of Brabant), the Prévinaire’s (of Flanders and Holland), and the Proveneer’s (of Liège) and it must be noted that the locations of these families also fit with the painting’s Flemish origins. However the French Grenières’s (of Île-de-France) and the Jallot’s (of Normandy) are the next closest matches and plausible matches, as Frans Pourbus had settled in Paris just a few years before our portrait was painted. This painting has been assessed by a professional conservator prior to going on sale, and as thus, it can be hung and enjoyed immediately. Frans Pourbus the Younger...

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

A feature of this exquisitely rendered oil on panel portrait, presented by Titan FIne Art, is its remarkable seventeenth century carved auricular / Sunderland frame...

We are pleased to offer a captivating portrait, most likely painted in the late 18th century, attributed to an artist within the circle of Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich. This oil ...

17th century Lombard painter Saint Michael Archangel Oil on canvas 139 x 75 cm. - Framed 156 x 91 cm Antique painting with St. Michael the Archangel, immortalised full-length as a ...

This exquisite oil on panel portrait, depicts a young lady wearing the most elaborate and costly items of the period - the Dutch coif or coronet of sheer lawn with lace, the lavishly embroidered stomacher, and the exquisite ‘molensteenkraag’ or millstone collar, made of batiste fabric. These items were worn by the wealthy individuals in society. The collar itself often requiring over 15 metres of fabric and an incredible effort to maintain. The whiteness of her skin serves as a marker of her social background and status, highlighting how physical appearance can often play a significant role in how individuals were perceived in society. This portrait shows the precise, meticulously crafted, style for which the artist became well-known and is a fine example in its description of the sitter’s character and the careful reproduction of the face and fabrics. The well-preserved condition provides a unique opportunity for us to admire the intricacy and details of the attire that may not always be possible in portraits from a similar age. The dark pigments used to depict the expensive black silk, along with the intricate lace, have remarkably stood the test of time, allowing us to appreciate the craftsmanship and artistry that went into creating them four hundred years ago. The gold pin worn in her hair on her left side indicates that she was engaged when the portrait was painted; married women wore the ‘betrothal pin’ on their right side. Like rhetoricians, seventeenth-century artists were bound by rules and expectations for proper decorum, even in matters of dress. Costume was carefully chosen to suit the ideals of a particular culture or sitter and was used to convey a multitude of meanings. Knowledge of its associations and the history of costume can be crucial to the interpretation of portraiture. The Dutch Golden Age of painting was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military, and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. Dutch explorers charted new territory and settled abroad. Trade by the Dutch East-India Company thrived, and war heroes from the naval battles were decorated and became national heroes. During this time, The Dutch Old Masters began to prevail in the art world, creating a depth of realistic portraits of people and life in the area that has hardly been surpassed. The Golden Age painters depicted the scenes that their discerning new middle-class patrons wanted to see. This new wealth from merchant activities and exploration combined with a lack of church patronage, shifted art subjects away from biblical genres. Still lifes of items of everyday objects, landscapes, and seascapes reflecting the naval and trade power that the Republic enjoyed were popular. The large group portrait is also a standard subject often of a civic organisation. The new wealthy class were keen to have their portraits commissioned and thus many artists worked in this lucrative genre. This portrait was in the famous collection of Dr. Paul Viktorovich Delaroff (1852-1913) who was a legal advisor based in St. Petersburg and Pavlovsk. He was the son of a Russian army general, he attended the Imperial School of St. Petersburg, earned a doctorate in law, and later taught civil law at the University of Kharkiv. However, he soon left academia to serve as an advisor at the Ministry of Public Works and eventually became a privy councillor to His Majesty the Emperor of Russia. Delaroff dedicated much of his life to the study of painting and engaged in art dealing on a large scale. Known for his charm and engaging conversation, he was a man of remarkable vitality. His extensive network enabled him to make several advantageous purchases and helped reignite interest in the Dutch school among Russian art enthusiasts. He amassed a vast collection of paintings, with some of his finest pieces loaned to museums in The Hague, Leiden, Berlin, and elsewhere. His impressive gallery of old master paintings was sold at auction in Paris during two sales in 1914, the first held on April 23-24, and the second from April 27 to May 2. Contained within a good quality period frame. Cornelis van der Voort, or van der Voorde (circa 1576 – circa 1624), was a distinguished Dutch portrait painter, art collector, art appraiser, and art dealer active during the early 17th century in Amsterdam. His oeuvre includes both individual and group portraits, notably the 'schuttersstukken' which portray members of local militias, and 'regentenstukken' depicting the regents of charitable institutions—a genre he notably pioneered. Van der Voort's contributions were instrumental in the evolution of portrait painting within the early 17th-century Dutch Republic, and he is particularly acclaimed for his introduction of the life-size, full-length format to the practice of Dutch portraiture. His oeuvre was highly sought after and regarded with great reverence. He significantly impacted the early portraiture of Rembrandt, as well as the works of Nicolaes Eliasz, Pickenoy, and Thomas de Keyser...

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 ...

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

Portrait of Francisco de Reynoso y Baeza.   Secretary of Pope Pius V, abbot of Husillos and bishop of Córdoba. Francisci de Reynoso. Early 17th century. Small-format portrait from the late Renaissance period. Spanish school. Size: Cm 19 x Cm 13.5 Oil on wooden panel. On the back the fine tablet is strengthened (already in ancient times) by a sheet of parchment. About 1600-1610. As often in Mannerist / Late Renaissance portraits, the image of the character is accompanied by the writing that runs at the top, adding a celebratory, historicising touch to the effigy. Let's bring back the sentence here: DON FRANCISCO DE REINOSO. CAMARERO SECRETO IESCALCO PIO QUINTO OBISCOPO CORDOBA. 68 (? O 7?) (1534, Autillo de Campos, Spain - 1601, Córdoba) Francisco de Reynoso was a Spanish cleric, chief chamberlain, and secretary to Pope Pius V, abbot of Husillos, and bishop of Córdoba. He was the fourth of eleven children. His father was the seventh Lord of Autillo de Campos, and his mother was Juana de Baeza y de las Casas, daughter of Manuel de Baeza, a lawyer of the Royal Council and at the Court of Valladolid. Francisco de Reynoso was deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary and showed a strong inclination toward religion and piety from an early age. He studied Latin, arts, and theology at the University of Salamanca. In 1562, he traveled to Rome with his brothers Pedro and Luis. In January 1566, following the death of Pope Pius IV, Cardinal Antonio Michele Ghislieri was elected pope, becoming Pius V. From this period until Ghislieri's death in 1572, Francisco de Reynoso served as his chief chamberlain and secretary. After Pope Pius V died, Francisco de Reynoso returned to Spain and lived for several years in the city of Palencia, where his brother Manuel was a canon. He supported the Society of Jesus when it was established in Palencia, providing alms to the school's clergy and funding chairs of Letters and Theology at his own expense, as well as donating a significant number of books. During the brief outbreak of the Black Plague...