Ambrosius Benson Lombardy (?) late 15th century - before 1550 Bruges

bidding is closed

Description

Ambrosius Benson
A portrait of a gentleman, head and shoulders, wearing a white shirt and a black fur-lined coat
oil on panel, arched top (made up in the upper corners)

Provenance

Private Collection, Vienna, and thence by descent.

Catalogue Note

Despite Benson's reputation and importance, no securely signed or documented portrait by his hand is yet known. Marlier (Ambrosius Benson et la peinture à Bruges au temps de Charles-Quint, Brussels 1957, pp. 315-322) lists some thirty independent portraits with dates ranging from the mid 1520s to just after 1540. This portrait most probably dates from the early to mid 1530s and may be compared to the Portrait of a goldsmith(?) formerly in the collection of Rudolf Nureyev and sold New York, Christie's, 11 January 1995, lot 135.