Oil on panel
70 x 61 cm.
Traces of date, centre right: AEtat[.. …] / Ao. […]
Art-historical texts and documentation by Rudi Ekkart and Claire van den Donk
To the best of our knowledge, the portrait of a woman was for a long time attributed to the Utrecht artist Paulus Moreelse (1571-1638) and was later reassigned to the Hague painter Jan Anthonisz. van Ravesteyn (c. 1572-1657) by the art dealer Luigi Caretto. However, the painting unquestionably originated from the studio of his slightly older colleague Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt (1566-1641).1
Van Mierevelt’s masterful artistry
The Delft-born artist Michiel van Mierevelt was one of the most successful Dutch portraitists of the first half of the seventeenth century, with a reputation that extended far beyond the republic’s borders.2 The son of a goldsmith, he trained under masters in Delft and Utrecht before establishing himself as a painter in his native city in the 1580s, where he remained for the rest of his life. King James I of England is said to have made several unsuccessful attempts to recruit him to London as a court painter.
Van Mierevelt’s breakthrough came in 1607, when he was commissioned by the Delft city council to paint a portrait of stadholder Maurits. This marked the beginning of a prolific series of portraits of members of the stadholder family and other distinguished figures. Many found their way to the Delft painter’s studio, not only members of the Dutch elite but also foreign diplomats and dignitaries. Due to the vast amount of commissions, Van Mierevelt maintained a large studio, where apprentices and assistants played a vital role in the production of his portraits.
Van Mierevelt’s extensive oeuvre can be divided into two main categories. On one side are the portraits of the stadholder family and their (royal) connections, including the ‘Winter King’ Frederik V of the Palatinate and his wife Elisabeth. These portraits were often replicated in the studio, with Van Mierevelt’s direct role decreasing over time while his assistants gradually took on more work. On the other side: he was the leading portrait painter of the local patriciate and prominent foreign patrons. These were generally produced as unique works, with only occasional replicas.3
The portrait of an unknown woman, here ascribed to Van Mierevelt for the first time, most likely belongs to this second group, depicting Delft burghers. The sitter’s richly adorned attire underlines her high social status. She wears luxurious jewellery, including a hairpin of gold set with precious stones and pearls. While the work of studio assistants is likely in the production of this portrait, the execution is excellent, particularly in the finely rendered details of her wide ruff collar of layered lace and linen and her elaborate lace cuff, which captivate the eye.
On the right-hand side of the panel, just above centre, the painting bears traces of a year and an inscription indicating the sitter’s age, though the numerals have unfortunately become illegible. Older records of the work suggest the year 1635, which corresponds convincingly with the sitter’s costume. Regrettably, the identity of the sitter remains unknown.
A personal note from the gallery
‘She’s one of my favourites. So calm and contained, yet so opulent and regal at the same time. A true seventeenth-century lady, intriguing in every detail. I keep coming back to her; I can’t get enough of her presence. Her ruff and jewellery show the height of Delft fashion in the 1630s, painted with the refinement Van Mierevelt’s studio was known for. A portrait like this is a piece of cultural history, preserved in extraordinary quality.’
Jaco Pieper, owner Argento Gallery
Provenance
Art dealer Charles Sedelmeyer, Paris; Collection John Wanamaker (1838-1922), Philadelphia; Collection Lewis Rodman Wanamaker (1863-1928), Philadelphia; Wanamaker Sale, New York (Parke-Bernet), 2 November 1939, lot 30 (as by Paulus Moreelse); Sale New York, 30 April 1965, lot 121(as by Paulus Moreelse); Collection Coolmain Castle, Cork; Sale 24/25 November 1989, lot 534 (as by Paulus Moreelse); Sale London (Christie’s), 26 October 1990, lot 137 (as by circle of Michiel Jansz. van Mierevelt); Art dealer Galleria Caretto, Turin (Exhibition November / December 1991, as by Jan Anthonisz. Van Ravesteyn).
Notes
1. Exhibition Catalogue Galleria Caretto, Turin, November / December 1991.
2. For an overview on the life and work of Michiel van Mierevelt, see: Anita Jansen, Rudi Ekkart and Johanneke Verhave, exh. cat. De portretfabriek van Michiel van Mierevelt (1566-1641), Zwolle (WBOOKS) and Delft (Museum Het Prinsenhof), 2011- 2012.
3. An important exception is formed by the portraits of the married couple Paulus van Beresteyn en Volckera Knobbert, which were painted in 1612. In the subsequent years, replicas were made for each of their nine children. See the publication mentioned in note 2 by Jansen, Ekkart and Verhave, p. 69.
