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International Art Online Auction

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Lot 8 ATTRIBUTED TO JAN CORNELISZ VERMEYEN (Born Circa 1500-1559)
PORTRAIT OF A DISTINGUISHED MAN: POSSIBLY A COLLECTOR OR A GOLDSMITH, THREE-QUARTER LENGTH, 1534
Dutch

Oil on cradled oak panel; dated “Anno 1534” upper right. Accompanied by four letters of opinion (“Gutachten”) appraising the work written in German (see below)

37.5" / 95.3cm (height) x 29.5" / 74.9cm (width)

Est. $30000/50000
Realised: $0
Auction Date: 12/07/2017


Provenance: The House of Hohenzollern Collection, Germany, likely a commissioned work by the Kaiser Monarchy;
Ex. Collection, Wilhelm Pfeiffer, Germany & Canada, acquired in the early 1960s;
By descent to the present Private Collection, Heidelberg, Ontario

Note: This lot is accompanied by four scholarly opinions dating from the 1960s that are consistent in regarding this painting as a portrait by Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen. These documents include opinions and appraisals by:

1. Professor Dr. Alfred Stange, dated at Tutzing, September 1, 1961;

2. Professor Emerich Schaffran, dated at Wien, October 18, 1961;

3. Adolf Bangel, dated at Frankfurt Am Main, October 25, 1961;

4. Dr. Ernest Wengenmayr, Kunsthistoriker, dated at Munchen, October 25, 1961

All make the assumption that the sitter in this portrait is of an unidentified distinguished man that may have been a goldsmith or a collector. Dr. Ernst Wengenmayr suggests that the painting could be associated with a student in the workshop of Jan Van Scorel (1495-1562) and in his opinion is a work of his student, Jan Cornelisz Vermeyen. Vermeyen was one of the leading portrait artists active in the mid-16th century that painted for the Kaiser of the Netherlands. Dr. Wengenmayr suggests that this portrait may have been commissioned by the Kaiser monarchy. Vermeyen was one of the leading portrait artists of the mid 16th Century and he was the pictorial painter for the Kaiser of the Netherlands.

Depicted in 16th century Spanish-style courtly dress indicative of a nobleman, the sitter stands square in a full-frontal pose looking directly at the viewer, wearing a black cap and black tabard with wide brown fur lapels over a gold buttoned doublet with ruffs at the sleeve openings and collar and holding a pair of gloves. Portrayed three quarter-length, he stands against a plain green background. He wears two signet rings and a double gold band as his hand rests on a table with a magnifier, a tray of signet rings and a small silver box.

The support consists of three vertically grained oak planks 0.8-0.1 cm thick.

Dr. Ernst Wengenmayr and Professor Emerich Schaffran have certified other 16th century works from The House of Hohenzollern collection including two portraits from the Studio of Lucas Cranach the Younger, ”Portrait of Martin Luther” and “Portrait of Philip Melanchton.”
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