Adriaen Thomasz. Key

Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 12 January 1994, lot 98;
There purchased by the present owner.

K. Jonckheere, Adriaen Thomasz. Key (c. 1545 - c.1589), Portrait of a Calvinist Painter, Turnhout 2007, pp.116-117, cat. no. A92, reproduced p. 232.

Panel is comprised of four pieces of wood, with small reinforcement tabs placed along the joins. Panel has a slight vertical bow, but is stable. There is a thin line of paint loss, visible in the catalogue, along one of the joins. UV reveals scattered retouches in the face and beard of the sitter, some of which sit below an older varnish, while others sit on top and are newer. A few smaller retouches are found in the chest, but all of these have been applied well and are not disturbing to the naked eye. In a carved and painted gilt wood frame.
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 striking portrait, published in Koenraad Jonckheere’s recent monograph, typifies the acutely observational style of Adriaen Thomasz. Key.¹  The painter depicts the sitter’s flesh with vivid realism, building layers of grey glazes to denote the wrinkles and shadowing of the forehead and the creases of paper-like skin beneath the eyes.   As Jonckheere notes, “through the extremely precise and detailed light effects the wrinkles of the skin acquire depth and the face character, all of which makes an astoundingly genuine impression”.²  Wearing a chain of brass guild medallions, the sitter would have been a prominent guild member and distinguished figure in Antwerp; the medallions display the monogram HG and the Habsburg eagle, likely the arms of the margraviate of Antwerp.³

1.   See K. Jonckheere under Literature, op. cit. p. 117.
2.  Ibid.
3.  Ibid.