Chantry Fine Art Collection
Subject: Portrait of a Beautiful Lady
Artist: Nicolaes Maes (1634-
Provenance: Unequivocally attributed by Messrs Christies (below)
Date: c1680 Size: 27”x 23” Condition: Superb Frame: Sympathic to the period but not necessarily the original
Details: Painted by Rembrandt's most talented pupil. This beautiful portrait was painted in Amsterdam during his Van Dyke period. It is in superb condition.
This outstandingly lovely portrait is of an unknown lady circa 1680 by Nicolaes Maes, perhaps the most talented of Rembrandt’s pupils.
His early training is not known but he became Rembrandt’s pupil in 1648, basing his early work on the Master’s style and oeuvre which consisted of many biblical and genre subjects, rather severe in execution, although his well known series of ‘eavesdroppers' gave an indication that he could broaden his scope.
But from c1660 he worked almost exclusively as a portraitist though still in the Rembrandt manner.
In 1674, however, he moved to Amsterdam where his style underwent a dramatic transformation, becoming relaxed, elegant and full of luminous colour, somewhat similar to Van Dyke’s.
The reason for this is probably due to his closer familiarity in Amsterdam with the great Italian masters, particularly Titian (1485-
Adopting this new oeuvre proved a huge commercial success for Maes. He became the most sought after portraitist in the city.
He was so popular that, according to Houbraken, “so much work came his way that it was deemed a favour if one person was granted the opportunity to sit for his portrait before another, and so it remained for the remainder of his life”.
This portrait of a sensuously beautiful lady, aged probably in her early 30s, was painted circa 1680 and Maes uses the full range of his luminous colour, but highlighting her face and upper body very much in the Rembrandt manner against a dark background.
The work was unequivocally attributed to Maes by Messrs Christies in one of their Old Master’s sales with a full page illustration.
Further evidence can be seen in the Witt Library (Box Files 1350 and 1351) which contains at least a dozen examples of his later period female portraits in which he has used an similar pose, the same palette and the same sized canvas.
All are ravishingly portrayed and like this portrait could not have been attributed to any other artist.
A truly exciting and lovely Old Master painting which beats modern rubbish into a cocked hat -
Price: £14,000
Please note the following: Chantry Fine Art are happy to supply buyers with a photographic image of this item and believe that all of the details given are correct to the best of their knowledge. Buyers may wish to carry out their own research and again, Chantry Fine Art are more than happy to supply any information that might assist -
Digital reproduction through cameras and monitor screens may not render the true colours of the portraits.
Prospective buyers may also arrange, by appointment, to view individual items.
Contact details can be found using the ‘contact’ link in the navigation bar at the top and bottom of each page.
We look forward to hearing from you and thank you for your interest in Chantry Fine Art.
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