Two Great Scottish Collections: Property from the Forbes of Pitsligo and the Marquesses of Lothian

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Lot 320
  • 320

After Frans Pourbus the Younger

Estimate
1,500 - 2,000 GBP
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Description

  • Frans Pourbus the Younger
  • Portrait of Philip III of Spain (1578-1621), bust-length, wearing damascened armour and a high lace ruff; Portrait of Margaret Queen of Spain (1584-1611), bust-length, wearing a red embroidered dress
  • the former inscribed upper right: PHILLIPPVS. 3/D G. HISP REX
    the latter inscribed upper right: MARGARETA/AVS HISP REGIHA
  • a pair, both oil on oak panel

Condition

The following condition report is provided by Henry Gentle who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: Three portraits Oils on oak panels with bevelled edges to the reverse, each 10.3/4" x 8.3/4" Philip III of Spain The panel is well preserved. There is instability of the paint surface with recent minor paint loss and restored previous loss, now discoloured; some minor pitted loss to the sitter's armour can be detected. Elsewhere, across the image, the paint is in a good state of preservation. The varnish is discoloured and degraded. Margerita The panel is well preserved. The paint surface has some instability with recent minor paint loss and previous paint loss to the bottom of the image, as well as elsewhere, indicated by discoloured restoration . Areas of the painted surface are well preserved. A discoloured and degraded varnish covers the surface. Maurice The paint layer has inherent instability with minor recent paint loss visible. There is some minor restored earlier paint loss indicated by discoloured restoration. Much of the paint surface is in good original condition; removal of the degraded and discoloured varnish would improve the overall tonality appreciably.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Catalogue Note

These portraits are closely related to a pair on copper of the same dimensions in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, attributed to the workshop of Frans Pourbus the Younger (1569-1622).1 A second set of similar portraits on panel of Philip III and Queen Margaret, also attributed to the workshop, were sold Vienna, Dorotheum, 20 October 2015, lot 12, for 393,400 Euros. 

Sold together with a Portrait of Prince Maurice of Nassau (1567-1625), after Pourbus; oil on oak panel; 26.7 x 22.2 cm.; 10 1/2  x 8 3/4  in.; inscribed upper left: MAVRITVS. D.G / NASO PRINCRA. This appears to be one of a number of copies, such as that in the National Trust collection at Knole.2

1. P.J.J. van Thiel et. al., All the Paintings of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1976, p. 691, cat. no. A507 and A508, both reproduced.
2. Acc. no. 129837.