Lot 46: THOMAS DE KEYSER | Portrait of a silversmith, probably Christian van Vianen (1600–67)

oil on oak panel

64cm by 52cm

oil on oak panel

The following condition report is provided by Sarah Walden who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: Thomas de Keyser. Portrait of a Silversmith. Monogram and Date 1630 on the Drawing on the table. This painting is on a fine flat oak panel. This is widely bevelled at the left edge, scarcely bevelled at all at the base and with some generalised bevelling on the right. There are two joints, neither of which appears to have been reglued. The left hand joint has some minor retouching in places near the top and down the edge of the door, but it appears to have remained stable overall. The joint on the right has narrow retouching in the upper background above the figure, but the head is perfectly pure and untouched. Occasional very minor narrow lines can be seen under ultra violet light, for instance in the ruff, also down the coat and in the shadow of the lower drapery down to some touches scattered in the foreground. This right hand joint has been backed with quite a wide band of strong mattress ticking. In the top left corner a briefer patch of strong canvas has been added behind to support some narrow damage at the top left edge. Remnants of older canvas remain behind both of the bevelled side edges. There are various old labels on the back: I.M.Smith Bond St conservators, could possibly be late nineteenth century to very early 20th, Holder and Sons, Bath 1947 (perhaps connected to conservation for the Royal Academy Exhibition of 1952-3) Richard Green. Early 21st Century. The various supports behind were presumably connected to these as well as past cleaning and revarnishing. Past retouching is not visible under ultraviolet light, for instance in the top left corner. Recent retouching is visible in a few minute touches down the joints, in the cuffs, rare touches in the foreground particularly near the foot on the left, and mainly in a multitude of minuscule touches in the background. Overall the condition is exceptionally fine. The richly intact treatment of the carpet and the still life on the table, as well as the poignancy of the portrait, is beautifully preserved in every detail. This report was not done under laboratory conditions
"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."

London, Royal Academy, Dutch Pictures 1450-1750, 1952–53, p.85, no. 448.

B. Botfield, Catalogue of Pictures at Norton Hall, London 1863, p.17 (A Dutch Silversmith. From the collection of E.V. Utterson Esq.);
J. G. van Gelder, 'Dutch Pictures st the Royal Academy', in The Burlington Magazine, vol. XCV, February 1953, p. 34;
J.W. Frederiks, Dutch Silver, The Hague 1958, p. 62, reproduced plate 53 (as depicting Christian van Vianen);
H. van Hall, Portreiten van Neederlandse Beeldende Kunstenaars, Amsterdam 1963, p. 350, no. 1,2290 (as depicting Christian van Vianen);
D. de Wit-Klinkhamer, 'Een Vermaarde Silveren Beker', in Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 17, 1966, pp. 79–103, reproduced p. 97;
T. Crombie, 'Beriah Botfield and his Dutch pictures at Longleat', in Apollo, vol. CV, February 1977, p. 1004, reproduced fig. 4;
J.R. ter Molen, Van Vianen een Utrechtse familie van Zilversmeden met een internationale faam, Lieden University doctoral dissertation, 1984, vol. I, p. 38 (as depicting Christian van Vianen);
A. Jensen Adams, The Paintings of Thomas de Keyser: A study of Portraiture in Seventeenth Century Amsterdam, Harvard PhD thesis, 1985, vol. I, p. 97, vol. III, p. 55, no. 26 (as depicting Simon Andries Valckenaer (1609–72);
O. Ydema, Carpets and their dating in Netherlandish Painting 1540–1700, Leiden 1991, p. 163, no. 499; pp. 10 and 163, cat. no. 499, reproduced fig. 4.

Edward Vernon Utterson (1777–1856);
His deceased sale, London, Christie's, 27 Febuary 1857, lot 810 (as De Keyser, 1639 – A gentleman in a brown dress, seated at a table, on which are silver vessels and drawings), for 10 Guineas, to Smith, presumably on Botfield's behalf;
Beriah Botfield (1807–63);
Bequeathed by the above to the unborn 2nd son of John Alexander Thynne, 4th Marquess of Bath;
By descent until sold ('By Order of the Trustees of the Longleat Chattels Settlement'), London, Christie's, 14 June 2002, Lot 593, for £644,650;
Acquired at the above sale by Richard Green, London;
Acquired from the above by the present owner on 12 December 2007, for £850,000.