About this lot

Description

Portrait of a noblewoman, bust-length, in pink, decorated with pearls, wearing an elaborate ruff and a magnificent aigrette of rubies and pearls in her hairoil on canvas, oval71 x 55.5cmProvenance:Acquired in London circa 1917 by a relative of the present ownerFootnote: The sitter is almost certainly named Margaret due to the fact she is so elaborately bedecked with pearls and the symbolism of the pearl (ancient Greek μαργαρίτης - margarítēs) was important at Italian and Spanish courts during the early Baroque period. It has been suggested the sitter could be Margaret of Savoy (1589-1655) who married Francesco IV Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua (1586-1612) though a certain portrait of her by Frans Pourbus suggests Margaret of Savoy had the distinguishing Habsburg lip and chin which the present sitter appears not to have.We are grateful to Dr Annemarie Jordan Gschwend, Senior Research Scholar at Centro de Humanidades, Zurich & Lisbon, for her assistance with this catalogue entry.Condition report: 92 x 76 cm framedOil on canvas which has been lined. There is addition to the canvas at the upper edge with a horizontal join. The canvas tension is stiff and there are undulations around the edges. There is a small puncture to the canvas in the lower half. The paint layers are in a good, stable condition overall. Areas of overpaint appear matte compared to the surrounding area and are now mismatched. Overpaint is present in the sitter’s hair, areas of the dress and in the background. The varnish has yellowed with age and is streaky in appearance, particularly in the sitter’s face.

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