Lot 102: Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy (Amsterdam 1587/8-1650/6)

Portrait of a lady, said to be Alijdt Fransdr. Boon (d. 1623 Alkmaar), three-quarter-length, in a dress with a black velvet bodice, red silk sleeves and white lace cuffs, a white pleated molenkraag and a lace bonnet, a pair of embroidered silk white gloves in her right hand
inscribed and dated 'AEtatis.Suae.23..An o.1626.' (AE linked, upper right)
oil on panel
45 1/4 x 33 1/4 in. (114.9 x 84.4 cm.)
the coat-of-arms of the Boon family, upper left, with traces of a further inscription (partly transcribed on the reverse of the panel), 'Aleid Frans Boon. Stigtereffe van [dere] drie Prove- nierfters Wningen binnen ALKMAAR A[nno] 1616' (upper left, beneath the crest)

From 1687-1950 hung in the Regent's headquarters in Het Poppen Hofje, Alkmaar.

PROPERTY FROM AND SOLD FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ROOMSCH KATHOLIEK WEES- EN ARMENBESTUUR, ALKMAAR

Alijdt Fransdr. Boon was the daughter of Frans and Trijn Verlaen. She married twice: the first time to a certain Alberts, about whom no further information is known, and the second time to Cornelis Claesz. Limmen (d. before 1618). She founded three almshouses in Het Poppen Hofje in Alkmaar in 1618, and this portrait is known to have been hung in the regents' quarters of Het Poppen Hofje from 1687, where it remained under the care of the Roomsch Katholiek Weesen Armenbestuur until the 1950s, when the almshouses were declared uninhabitable. However, according to archival records, Alijdt Fransdr. Boon was buried in the Grote Kerk, Alkmaar on 16 March 1623, raising questions about the identity of the present sitter, given that the picture is dated 1626.

Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy was one of the leading portrait painters of Amsterdam, who particularly excelled in the rendition of textiles. Here, much of the focus is on the richly embroidered wedding gloves the sitter holds in her right hand, indicating that the portrait was likely to have been executed to commemorate her marriage. At present, the whereabouts of the portrait's pendant is unknown.

We are grateful to Mr J.W. Balder for his assistance with the research conducted in the archives of Regionaal Archief, Alkmaar. We are also grateful to Dr. Rudi Ekkart of the R.K.D., The Hague, for confirming the attribution to Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy after inspection of the picture in the original.

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium, which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.