Follower of Sir Anthony Van Dyck, Flemish... Lot 29

Follower of Sir Anthony Van Dyck, Flemish 1599-1641- Portrait of a gentleman, standing three-quarter length, with one hand holding a book, in an interior; oil on canvas, 123.6 x 100.5 cm., (unframed). Provenance: Anon. sale, Sotheby’s, London, 5 July 2007, lot 127. Note: The present work undeniably recalls the portraits of Van Dyck, particularly in its subtlety, sophistication, and the assured, fluid brushstrokes which characterise the sitter's features and expression. From the outset of his career Van Dyck had been interested in the artistic possibilities of black materials and the anonymous artist’s treatment of the fabrics here clearly harks to that of the Flemish master. A recent cleaning of the canvas has revealed an interested pentimento indicative of where the artist originally intended the positioning of the sitter’s right arm. For a similar portrait by the Studio of Van Dyck, see Anon. sale, Sotheby’s, London, 10 July 2014, lot 169. The present work is also strongly reminiscent of portraits by Flemish artists Pieter Thijs (1624-1677) and Gonzales Coques (c.1614-1684), both of whom worked closely with Van Dyck. Please refer to department for condition report