English School circa 1640
A Pair of Portraits depicting a Lady wearing a black a Bonnet and a Gentleman with a fine Brocade and Lace Cap
Paired with:
Essay:
These two beautiful portraits have for a long time been considered to be the work of the renowned 17th Century Anglo-Dutch portrait painter Cornelis Johnson van Ceulen. However, it now appears that they are by an, as yet, unknown English portrait painter working circa 1640.
Both portraits are offset by backgrounds in precious blue pigments (made from ground azurite and lapis lazuli, respectively). These stunning colours are made even more lucid by the copper base on which they are painted. The detail in the depiction of the sitters and their physiognomy is also noteworthy.
Provenance:
Private Collection, Austria
