Artus Wolffort

With J. Gans, The Hague, by 1939.

H. Vlieghe, 'Zwischen van Veen und Rubens: A. Wolffort (1581- 1641), ein vergessener Antwerpener Maler', in Wallraf-Richartz-Jahrbuch, vol. XXXIX, 1977, pp. 98- 101, reproduced fig. 10 (as attributed to Artus Wolffort).

The panel is cradled, and is slightly bent in the upper right corner. The lower right corner has a tiny chip. There is fantasic impasto intact on the white of his beard,on the feather, and the detail on his cuff. T There is a small vertical scatch of missing paint lower left, measuring 2 cm. There is fine craquelure in the darker pigments, and one small area upper right where the black is beginning to lift. Otherwise individual paint strokes are still visible and very energetic and raw, look for example on the frowned forehead and on the hands. There is an thin crack in the paint from the upper edge down the centre reaching to the tip of the saint's beard, and frame rubbing along the lower and right edges. Inspection under UV light reveals scattered old retouchings throughout, also a repair to the the thin aforementioned thin crack, and two small repairs: on the saint's shoulder and above his left eye. There are also repairs to the frame rubbing on the left and upper edges. This lot is offered in a gilt frame with ornate mouldings, in good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Wolffort delights in the tangibility of texture: the long silken beard and dirty fingernails, the wrinkled forehead and ruddy cheeks. The white surplice and red cope indicate the sitter's membership of the Church, but without clear attributes he is difficult to identify. Vlieghe argues this may originally have belonged to a series depicting the Church fathers, along with a Saint Ambrosius, 62 by 50 cm., formerly in the Leroux collection, Versailles, in which case this is likely to be Saint Jerome (See Vlieghe, 1997, under Lit., reproduced p. 98, fig. 9).