Portrait Of A Nobleman - 17th Century British School

A beautiful rare and highly desirable early 17th century British portrait of a British nobleman in elaborate costume, by an artist in the circle of Paul Van Somer (1577-1621) Inscribed "AETATIS SVE 28 ANNO 1617". The beautiful guardian (aged 28 in 1617) wears a doublet in silvery satin fabric, lined, stiffened and shaped to mold the body underneath. It is also decorated with bands of silver braid. The guardian is also keen to display his military and martial qualities because around his neck is a gorget, and that and the flaming belt worn on his shoulder are signifiers of bravery. Carrying arms is the mark of a gentleman, and the superb gold embroidery that adorns the belt leaves us in no doubt about the social and economic standing of this man. The most expensive element of this gentleman's outfit is its lavish framing ruff. Its plain fabric is embellished with needlework using a technique called "cutwork" or "reticella" (from Italian for snowflake). The selected warp and weft threads were removed from the woven fabric to create a net-like shape which was then worked with individual stitches to create the snowflake pattern. Around the edge of the collar are "punto in aria" (which translates to "stitches in the air") which form small, pointed patterns - small triangles of individual stitches. It represents a literal wealth of fabric, folded and brought together to best display the expensive reticelle - and the face (and face value) of its wearer. I am a good and courageous man - he seems to say - admire my character, my dress and my demeanor. Paul Van Somer (1577-1621) Paul Van Somer was a Flemish artist who arrived in England from Antwerp during the reign of King James 1 of England and became one of the principal painters of the royal court. He painted a number of portraits of James and his wife, Queen Anne of Denmark, and nobles such as Ludovic Stuart, Earl of Lennox and Lady Anne Clifford. Van Somer is an elusive character: little is known about him, and his art is rarely mentioned. However, in the gallery notes to the Royal Collection his works are described as follows: `` Like Daniel Mytens, who had moved to London from the Netherlands in 1618 and was Van Somer's neighbor at St Martin's Lane, Van Somer brought new grandeur, fluidity and naturalism to the portrait of the British court. Opinion of van Somer's work has varied with Horace Walpole perceiving one of his portraits as as beautiful as a Van Dyck, and Booth Tarkington (in his psychological study King James in Faded Paint) suggests that `` Paulus van Somer had gifts and one of them was for character perception 'The artist is sometimes referred to as' Paul van Somer I' to distinguish him from the engraver of the same name active in England between 1670 and 1694. This painting comes in an excellent conservation set and is ready to hang and enjoy in a premium period setting.

Higher resolution images on request.
Worldwide shipping available.

Provenance: Christie Manson and Woods Ltd. 8 King St, St. James, London, April 5, 1963, Lot 38 (as Johnson)

Thanks to Jacqui Ansell for her contributions on the costume.

Canvas: 22 "x 18" / 56 cm x 46 cm.
Frame: 25 "x 29" / 64 cm x 74 cm.