Franz (1580) Kessler Sold at Auction Prices

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    • Franz Kessler: Portrait of Dr. Johann Michael von Cronenburg
      Nov. 14, 2024

      Franz Kessler: Portrait of Dr. Johann Michael von Cronenburg

      Est: €3,000 - €6,000

      KESSLER, FRANZ 1580 Wetzlar - after 1650 Danzig Title: Portrait of Dr. Johann Michael von Cronenburg. Mayor of Cologne 1633/1634. Date: 1633. Technique: Oil on wood. Mounting: Laid down on wood. Measurement: 102.5 x 78.5cm. Notation: Signed, dated and inscribed upper left: "Anno Aetatis sua 65 (54 painted over) 1633 (1622 painted over) FKeßler fec". Frame: Framed. Literature: W. Schäfke (ed.), Kölnischer Bildersaal. Die Gemälde im Bestand des Kölnischen Stadtmuseums einschließlich der Sammlung Porz und des Kölner Gymnasial- und Stiftungsfonds, Cologne 2006, no. 0364, pp. 141-142. Provenance: Private ownership, Germany. The present work is the original painting after which two copies are in the holdings of the Cologne City Museum. In the book 'Kölnischer Bildersaal', Cologne 2006, under the number 0364, p. 141, Franz Kessler's original painting is discussed in detail. It states: "Aus der Literatur ist bekannt, dass ein Porträt Cronenburgs von 1622 nach seiner Wahl zum Bürgermeister um die Amtstracht ergänzt und die Daten entsprechend übermalt wurden." ('It is known from the literature that a portrait of Cronenburg from 1622 was supplemented with the official costume after his election as mayor and the dates were painted over accordingly'). Estimated shipping costs for this lot: Arrangement after the auction. Explanations to the Catalogue Franz Kessler Germany 17th C. Old Masters Framed Portrait Painting Cologne

      Van Ham Kunstauktionen
    • Franz Kessler: Caspar Roemerskirchen im Alter von 26 Jahren
      Jan. 31, 2024

      Franz Kessler: Caspar Roemerskirchen im Alter von 26 Jahren

      Est: €1,500 - €2,500

      KESSLER, FRANZ 1580 Wetzlar - nach 1650 Danzig zugeschrieben Titel: Caspar Roemerskirchen im Alter von 26 Jahren. Technik: Öl auf Holz. Maße: 96 x 75cm. Bezeichnung: Bezeichnet und datiert oben rechts: Capar Roemerskirchen / Anno 1628 / Aetatis suae 26. Rahmen: Rahmen. Provenienz: Privatbesitz, Deutschland. Franz Kessler Germany 17th C. Old Masters Framed Portrait Painting Cologne Explanations to the Catalogue Estimated shipping costs for this lot: Arrangement after the auction.

      Van Ham Kunstauktionen
    • Franz Kessler (German, 1580-C.1650), , Portrait of a Court Lady, Bust-Length
      Jul. 21, 2020

      Franz Kessler (German, 1580-C.1650), , Portrait of a Court Lady, Bust-Length

      Est: $4,000 - $6,000

      Franz Kessler (German, 1580-C.1650) Portrait of a Court Lady, Bust-Length Inscribed with sitter's age, dated and signed 'Anno AEtatis Suae 44/1620/Frantz [sic] Kessler fecit' upper and center right, oil on cradled panel 27 7/8 x 23 3/4 in. (70.8 x 60.3cm) provenance: Collection of Warner S. McCall. Hammer Galleries, New York, New York (reference no. "MX6-381"). Acquired directly from the above. The Collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Alexander Weddell, Richmond, Virginia (deaccessioned by The Virginia House Museum to benefit future preservation, acquisitions, and care of collections). Freeman's, Philadelphia, sale of April 10, 2019, lot 78. Acquired directly from the above sale Private Collection, Germany. LITERATURE: Horst Vey (with contributions of Wolfgang Stechow), "Franz Kessler, Conterfeyter von Wetzlar. Die Wiederentdeckung eines ingeniösen Kopfes," in: Wallraf-Richartz-Jahrbuch, Vol. 34, 1972, pp. 119-174 , p. 142, fig. 13 (illustrated). NOTE: A student of German artist Gortzius Geldorp (1553-1618), Franz Kessler spent most of his career in Cologne, where he painted portraits of the city's wealthy citizens while also exploring the neighboring towns. Many of Kessler's portraits date to the 1620s, such as the present one. They may be found in the Szépmüvészeti, Budapest, as well the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne. In his 1947 book entitled A Description of Virginia House, Alexander Weddell says: "On the north wall is a portrait on panel of a lady of the Court of Elizabeth or James I by Franz Kessler. Worthy of notice is the costume. The filmy lawn about the neck, the delicate lace collar framed on wires, whose pattern is repeated in the cuffs, and the elaborate jewels, worn as if forming a heraldic collar, add to the generally pleasing quality of the portrait." Although Kessler is known to have travelled inside and outside of Germany between 1620 (the date of our portrait) and 1624, there is no concrete evidence that the artist, a member of the Artists Guild of Cologne, ever went to England. As such, we must assume that this portrait was done on the continent, probably in the close vicinity of Cologne. The painting appears very close to the style (and size) of another 1620 portrait by Kessler, that of a young girl aged 15 (now in the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, NY). The two works share the same dark, abstract background and each figure is depicted with a very pale face, which contrasts with their fresh red lips and soft rosy cheeks. The careful rendition of the ladies' costume, particularly the delicate lace around their necks, as well as the shiny jewels on their black dresses, indicates that the two models came from a wealthy background. To some extent, we may even suggest that the two were related (mother and daughter) and part of the same, bigger, image. In his 1972 article (p. 120), Horst Veys argues that both paintings were probably cut down, ours being trimmed at the bottom and on its left side; a hypothesis which the (unusual) narrow composition seems to confirm. Although our lady was certainly not a member of the Elizabethan court as explained above, her costume might suggest that she was in fact a member of the court of Fredrick V and Elizabeth Stuart, who both lived in Heidelberg and became King and Queen of Bohemia in 1619 (for just a year, which granted them the nickname of the "Winter King and Queen"). Elizabeth Stuart was originally from England, and when she moved to Germany, she influenced the style of many German princesses who copied her elaborate dresses, such as the one depicted here. When studying the birth records of the time, only one German princess seems to fit the date and the age of the sitter inscribed on the portrait: Amalia von Sayn Wittgenstein. Born in 1586, she married Georg von Nassau Dillenburg in 1607 and both had a daughter named Margaretha von Nassau Dillenburg (1606-1661). Margaretha would have been 15 years old in 1620, which seems to corroborate our hypothesis based on the aforementioned portrait in Rochester. We wish to thank Ms. Sabine Craft-Giepmans at the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, also known as R.K.D., for her assistance in cataloguing this lot.

      Freeman's | Hindman
    • FRANZ KESSLER (GERMAN 1580-C.1650), Portrait of a Court Lady, Bust-Length
      Apr. 10, 2019

      FRANZ KESSLER (GERMAN 1580-C.1650), Portrait of a Court Lady, Bust-Length

      Est: $7,000 - $10,000

      FRANZ KESSLER (GERMAN 1580-C.1650) Portrait of a Court Lady, Bust-Length Inscribed with sitter's age, dated and signed 'Anno AEtatis Suae 44/1620/Frantz [sic] Kessler fecit' upper and center right, oil on cradled panel. 27 7/8 x 23 3/4 in. (70.8 x 60.3cm) PROVENANCE: Collection of Warner S. McCall. Hammer Galleries, New York, New York (reference no. "MX6-381"). Acquired directly from the above. The Collection of Ambassador and Mrs. Alexander Weddell, Richmond, Virginia. Deaccessioned by The Virginia House Museum to benefit future preservation, acquisitions, and care of collections.

      Freeman's
    • Franz Kessler , Wetzlar circa 1580 - circa 1650 Danzig Portrait of Man, aged 38, in a black costume and wide Ruff, leaning on a table; Portrait of a lady, aged 25, in black and gold embroidered costume, wide ruff and lace bonnet, her hand resting on
      Jun. 05, 2008

      Franz Kessler , Wetzlar circa 1580 - circa 1650 Danzig Portrait of Man, aged 38, in a black costume and wide Ruff, leaning on a table; Portrait of a lady, aged 25, in black and gold embroidered costume, wide ruff and lace bonnet, her hand resting on

      Est: $1,580 - $1,650

      Portrait of a Man: inscribed and dated upper left: A o 1.6.32 / AET . 38 ( AET in ligature) and inscribed upper right with the monogram of the sitter's family. Portrait of a Lady: inscribed and dated upper right: A o 1632 / AET . 25 a pair, oil on panel Quantity: 2

      Sotheby's
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