After Sir Anthony Van Dyck; A Mid-19Thc Watercolour Portrait Of A Gentleman

The well realised watercolour, after the painting by Van Dyck of a Gentleman putting his gloves on, which he painted c.1618-19, the whole deftly painted to a rusty ground, the work housed in the original good quality 19th century interpretation of a Rococo frame and surviving from the William IV to early Victorian period.

The condition of the painting is totally untouched and in its original frame. It is glazed and there doesn’t appear to be any restoration to speak of. It is unsigned, at least at sight in the frame.

The framers label verso is for George Cooper at 36 Piccadilly and they were active at this address between 1821-1847. They were very good carvers and gilders, glass grinders and looking glass manufacturers and decorators. Although mainly a manufacturer of looking glasses, the Cooper business also made some picture and print frames.

The artwork entitled “Portrait of a Gentleman, Putting on his Gloves” is a masterful oil on canvas by the celebrated artist Anthony van Dyck, an influential figure of the Baroque art movement. This genre piece, which exemplifies the refined portraiture of the era, is housed within the esteemed collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden, Germany. In the artwork, one observes a stately gentleman depicted with an air of graceful aristocracy, wearing a dark attire that contrasts sharply with his white, elaborately pleated collar. His gaze is direct, yet imbued with a gentle calmness that invites introspection. The subject’s hands are engaged in the meticulous action of putting on his gloves, a task depicted with supreme attention to detail that reflects the subject’s status and the painterly precision for which van Dyck is renowned. The dark palette and the delicate rendering of textures—the softness of the gloves and the intricate lacework—demonstrate van Dyck’s expertise in manipulating light and shadow to add depth and character to his subject. This portrait captures the essence of Baroque portraiture, where realism and the grandeur of the individual are portrayed with equal significance.

Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England, after enjoying great success in Italy and Flanders. After Rubens, he was the most prominent Flemish painter of the 17th century. Van Dyck was a prolific painter of portraits of European aristocracy, he also executed many works on religious and mythological subjects and was a fine draftsman and etcher. Appointed court painter by Charles I of England in 1632, he was knighted the same year.

An interesting copy of a seminal work and one that could be more important than it first appears.