Workshop of Frans Hals

Possibly the painting mentioned in the inventory of Pieter and Maritge Olycan's daughter Geertruyd Olycan, Haarlem, 11 November 1666;
Possibly Arthur Sanderson, Edinburgh;
Sir George Hunter Donaldson (1845-1925), London;
Vernon James Watney (1860-1928), Cornbury Park, Charlbury, Oxfordshire, by 1909;
By descent to his son, Oliver Vernon Watney (1902-1966), Cornbury Park, Charlbury, Oxfordshire;
His estate sale, London, Christie's, 23 June 1967, lot 28, reproduced (as copy after Hals);
Private collection

London, Art Gallery of the Corporation of London (Guildhall), Exhibition of Works by Flemish and Belgian Painters, May 3 - July 28, 1906, no. 86;
London, Royal Academy of Arts, Dutch Pictures, 1450-1750, winter 1952-53, no. 54.

A.G. Temple, Catalogue Exhibition of Works by Flemish and Belgian Painters, London, Art Gallery of the Corporation of London (Guildhall), London 1906, cat. no. 86 (as by Hals);
Possibly E. W. Moes, Iconographia Batavia; beredeneerde lijst van geschilderde en gebeeldhouwde portretten van Noor-Nederlanders in vorige eeuwen, Amsterdam 1897-1905, no. 8653-2;
E.W. Moses, Frans Hals, sa vie et son oeuvre, Brussels 1909, p. 103, no. 61 (as by Hals);
Possibly C. Hofstede de Groot, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch Painters of the Seventeenth Century, vol III, London 1910, p. 64, no. 211;
W. Bode and J.J. Binder, Frans Hals, sein Leben und seine Werke, Berlin 1914, no. 202 (as by Hals);
W.R. Valentiner, Frans Hals, des Meisters Gemälde, 2nd, revised edition, Berlin and Stuttgart 1923, p. 318, reproduced p. 184 (as by Hals);
W.R. Valentiner, "Rediscovered Paintings by Frans Hals," in "Art in America, vol. XXIII, June 1935, pp. 85-86 (as after Hals);
W.R. Valentiner, Frans Hals Paintings in America, Westport, Conn 1936, n.p. cited under no. 66 (as possibly by Hals);
K. Erasmus, "Frans Hals and Jan de Bray:  Some Newly-Identified Portraits," in The Burlington Magazine, vol. LXXV, no. 441, December 1939, p. 239 and note 6 (as by Hals);
Frans Hals, exhibition catalogue, Haarlem 1962, pp. 58-59, under no. 44 (where the attribution to Hals is questioned);
S. Slive, Frans Hals, London and New York, vol. III, p. 69, under no. 128, reproduced fig. 34 (as after Hals);
A. Chatelet and E.C. Montagni, Tout l'oeuvre de Frans Hals, Paris 1976, p. 101, under nos. 131 and 132, reproduced fig. 132a;
P. Biesboer, "Pieter Jacobsz. Olycan:  A Portrait and Burgomaster Revealed," in A Portrait of Pieter Jacobsz. Olycan:  Frans Hals Re-discovered, London 2006, p 15, notes 1 and 6;
M. Bijl, "The Technical Sstudy in Revealing the Original Painting by Frans Hals, in A Portrait of Pieter Jacobsz. Olycan: Frans Hals Re-discovered, London 2006, pp. 19-21 (as not by Hals).

Panel is uncradled, flat and stable. there are two vertical panel joins which run from top edge to bottom edge. one runs through the right side of collar down through her shoulder and right side of costume. the other runs through the left side of collar and down through left side of her costume and her fingers. these joins are very slightly visible to naked eye from front, but are not distractilng. the paint surface overall has been very well preserved and there is very good detail in costume and flesh tones. examination under ultraviolet light reveals an area of retouching in background upper left, and an area in background to the right of the right side of collar. the figure looks very good overall with only a tiny retouch on tip of nose, one or two on costume, and some very small retouches on hand. the painting is presentable and can be hung as is. In a black ebonized Dutch style frame with a gilt liner.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This forceful portrait is based on Frans Hals's three quarter length portrait of the same sitter, now in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.  Maritge Vooght was the wife of Pieter Olycan, a burgomaster of Haarlem and member of the States-General of the United Provinces.  He was also a patron of the artist, who painted portraits of at least nine members of the family.  It seems likely that the present work was in fact commissioned by one of the couple's children.

The back of the wooden panel shows very regular saw marks, which indicate that it must have been made after 1634, when the saw mill was introduced. The handling suggests a somewhat later date of between 1640 and 1650, and is the work of a well-trained artist familiar with Hals's technique. Johannes Verspronck, who was clearly influenced by Hals and was thought to have been in his studio, has been suggested as a possible author of this work. 

We are extremely grateful to Dr. Pieter Biesboer, who has examined this painting firsthand, for his assistance in preparing this note.