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Lot Essay
This previously unpublished portrait, which is in remarkable state, constitutes an important addition to the known oeuvre of Cornelis de Vos. The attribution has been confirmed by Katlijne Van der Stighelen, on the basis of photographs, and the work dated by her to circa 1625. Together with Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens, de Vos was one of a small group of talented young painters active in Antwerp in the second quarter of the 17th century. While de Vos undertook some religious commissions, notably collaborating with Rubens, van Dyck and Jordaens on the cycle of the Garland of Roses for the church of Saint Paul, he is best remembered as the favoured portraitist of Antwerp’s wealthy patrician class.
In this subtle yet compelling portrait, the sitter is identified as a member of the prosperous urban upper class by her carefully rendered costume. She wears an understated black silk gown with ruched sleeves and a fitted bodice, fastened at the front and decorated with gilded embroidery. Her hair is fastened at the back by a cap adorned with golden threads and pearls, complemented by a single pearl earring. Her face framed by a heavy ruff, she looks alertly at the viewer.
The painting’s excellent condition allows for a full appreciation of the subtleties of de Vos’ technique. The costume is executed in a swift and confident manner, with the use of impasto to indicate the detailing on the bodice and glistening refection of the pearl earring. By contrast, the sitter’s face is smoothly modelled with fine brushwork, which is typical of portraits of this period, such as his Portrait of a Lady in the Wallace Collection, London. The restrained palette is enlivened by touches of vermilion around the sitter’s eyes, cheeks and lips, adding to the portrait’s sense of immediacy.
In this subtle yet compelling portrait, the sitter is identified as a member of the prosperous urban upper class by her carefully rendered costume. She wears an understated black silk gown with ruched sleeves and a fitted bodice, fastened at the front and decorated with gilded embroidery. Her hair is fastened at the back by a cap adorned with golden threads and pearls, complemented by a single pearl earring. Her face framed by a heavy ruff, she looks alertly at the viewer.
The painting’s excellent condition allows for a full appreciation of the subtleties of de Vos’ technique. The costume is executed in a swift and confident manner, with the use of impasto to indicate the detailing on the bodice and glistening refection of the pearl earring. By contrast, the sitter’s face is smoothly modelled with fine brushwork, which is typical of portraits of this period, such as his Portrait of a Lady in the Wallace Collection, London. The restrained palette is enlivened by touches of vermilion around the sitter’s eyes, cheeks and lips, adding to the portrait’s sense of immediacy.