Portrait of Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567-1625), three-quarter-length, in elaborate gilt wheatsheaf armour and an orange sash

In 1607, Prince Maurice commissioned Van Mierevelt to paint his portrait in the gold ceremonial armour he had received in gratitude for his victory at Nieuwpoort in 1600. The portrait proved to be an enormous success, and Van Mierevelt immediately saw its commercial potential. He and his studio produced numerous variations of the portrait in all sizes, making it nearly impossible to distinguish full autograph from studio collaborations. The present lot is datable, not only by its inscription, but also by the fact that Maurice is not wearing the Order of the Garter, which he would be awarded on 4 February 1613. This painting is also one of the earliest examples of a new version of the portrait, when Van Mierevelt made a few changes in the armour; the originally rounded breastplate became more angular and a shoulder strap was added under the sash (see: Anita Jansen et al., De Portretfabriek van Michiel van Mierevelt (1566-1641), Delft, 2011, p. 118).