Circle of Frans van Mieris the Elder

Possibly Pieter de la Court van der Voort (1664-1739);

Possibly thence by descent to Allard de la Court (1688-1755) and Catharina Backer (1689-1766), Leiden; 

Possibly their estate sale, Leiden, 8 September 1766, lot 31;

Possibly where acquired by "Palthe," for 56 fl.;

Possibly William Rome (1842-1907), Creeksea Place, Burnham-on-Crouch;

Possibly his estate sale, London, Christie's, 21 December 1907, lot 88 (as "F. van Mieris"); 

Possibly with E. Bolton, London, 1920;

Art market, New York;

Where acquired by Albert Raiss (d. 1939), New York; 

Thence by descent within the family, until at least 2007;

Anonymous sale, New York, Sotheby's, 22 May 2019, lot 102 (as Attributed to Frans van Mieris the Elder);

Where acquired.

C. Hofstede de Groot, Beschreibendes und Kritisches Verzeichnis der Werke der hervorragendsten Holländischen Maler des XVII. Jahurhunderts, vol. X, Esslingen 1928, p. 28, cat. no. 100 (as Frans van Mieris); 

O. Naumann, Frans van Mieris the Elder (1635-1681), Doornspijk 1981, vol. II, pp. 202-203, cat. no. D74 (under Unidentified References).

The present work reflects the refined genre tradition associated with the Leiden fijnschilders. Presented half-length against a dark ground, the smoker is rendered with close attention to facial expression and costume; the fur cap, lush garment drapery, and warm flesh tones are all characteristics closely aligned with van Mieris’s manner. The restrained palette and controlled lighting enhance the immediacy of the figure, while the motif of pipe smoking, common in Dutch genre painting, introduces an element of intimacy and quiet introspection.