Name: CIRCLE OF FRANS POURBUS II (Antwerp 1569-1622 Paris)
Brand: Portrait of Albert VII (1559-1621), Archduke of Austria, bust-length; and Portrait of Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566-1633), Archduchess of Austria, bust-length
Price: 12000.00 USD
Availability: InStock

CIRCLE OF FRANS POURBUS II (Antwerp 1569-1622 Paris)
Portrait of Albert VII (1559-1621), Archduke of Austria, bust-length; and Portrait of Isabella Clara Eugenia (1566-1633), Archduchess of Austria, bust-length
oil on panel
the first 18³⁄₈ x 13⁷⁄₈ in. (46.7 x 35.2 cm.); the second 18³⁄₈ x 13³⁄₄ in. (46.7 x 29.5 cm.)
a pair

[Property of a Private Collector]; Sotheby's, New York, 25 November 1981, lot 64A, as Frans Pourbus II.

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Lot Essay

This pair of portraits of Albert VII, Archduke of Austria, and Isabella Clara Eugenia, Archduchess of Austria, are high quality sixteenth-century copies that derive from the full-length portraits by Frans Pourbus II, now in the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales, Madrid. These bust-length versions, however, vary slightly in their dress: the Archduke wears black and gold armor adorned with the Order of the Golden Fleece, while the Archduchess wears a smaller ruff and her gown is embellished with a different pattern of gold braid. Many reduced-format copies of the couple survive from this period, including a pair at the Groeningemuseum, Brugge (inv. no. 1979.GRO0006.I).

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Condition report

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The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.

The first
This painting is executed on a vertically grained panel and is supported on the reverse by a cradle. The varnish has yellowed slightly with age. Inspection in natural light shows two horizontal cracks in the background at left with associated restorations, one running 1 7/8 inches and the other 1 inches in length. Strokes of restoration along the craquelure are visible in the sitter’s face, especially on his proper right cheek, with additional small touches of restoration scattered throughout the face. A small area of restoration with minor pinpoint losses can be seen in the sitter’s hair. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals an opaque and slightly uneven varnish. Areas of strengthening are visible in the background, as well as smaller touches of restoration scattered in the sitter’s armor. Further inspection is hindered by the opaque varnish. The painting can be hung in its present state.

The second
This painting is executed on a vertically grained panel and is supported on the reverse by a cradle. The varnish has yellowed slightly with age. Inspection in natural light shows losses with associated restorations along the extreme edges. There are minor touches of discolored restoration in the sitter’s face, notably in her proper left check. There are a few small areas of discolored restoration scattered in the dark background. Three vertical lines of restoration can be seen in the lace ruff at right, the longest of which runs 2 inches in length. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals additional strengthening in the background. The varnish over the sitter’s hair is opaque, hindering further inspection. An older campaign of restoration can be seen in the white ruff. There are touches of strengthening in the dark tones of the sitter’s dress and a few small touches of restoration fluoresce in her dress at lower right. The painting can be hung in its present state.

Print Report