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Lot Essay
Born in Liège, Douffet trained under Jean Tauliers, who had settled there circa 1600. Although Abry records that he also trained under Rubens, this seems unlikely as his first picture from Liège, dated 1615, does not show the latter's influence. After leaving Liège, Douffet travelled to Rome, where he is recorded in 1622, visited Naples the same year, and travelled to Venice, before re-establishing himself in Liège in 1623. There he became one of the city's foremost artists, a standing that was given official recognition in 1634, when he was appointed as the official painter to the Prince-Bishop of Liège. Douffet's distinct Italian Caravaggism was a major influence on seventeenth-century artists in Liège, including his only known pupil, Bertholet Flémalle.
This picture was attributed in the 1812 and 1954 sales to Caravaggio, whose work certainly had a major impact on Douffet during his stay in Rome. However, it is the influence of Caravaggio's followers, for example Valentin de Boulogne with whom Douffet lived in Rome, Baburen and Manfredi, that predominates in Douffet's work and is discernible in this Ecce Homo. The strong chiaroscuro and the sculptural quality of the figures in this picture are comparable to Douffet's most important painting, Pope Nicholas V at the tomb of Saint Francis (Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich: see B. Nicholson, Caravaggism in Europe, ed. L. Vertova, Milan, 1989, I, p. 103, II, figs. 650-53).
We are grateful to Professor Leonard Slatkes for the attribution of this picture which he dates shortly after Douffet's return to Liege (letter, 27 June 1998).
The collection of the Dukes of Northumberland ranks as one of the most important private art collections in Great Britain. It was originally housed primarily in the three main residences of the family: Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, Syon House, Middlesex, and Northumberland House, London, until the demolition of Northumberland House in 1874. The collection includes important works by Raphael, Titian, Andrea del Sarto, Tintoretto, Palma Vecchio, Sebastiano del Piombo, Canaletto, van Dyck and Turner. Hugh, 3rd Duke of Northumberland was aligned politically to the cause of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, and his support was reciprocated by the Prince, who created him Knight of the Garter in 1819 and Privy Councillor in 1825. In the same year, he acted as the King's personal representative at the coronation of King Charles X of France. The costs of that embassy, which was conducted with a magnificence exceptional even by the standards of the day, were borne by the Duke at his own expense, and on his return he was presented with a diamond-hilted sword as a national recognition of his services. In 1829, he accepted Wellington's offer of the Viceroyalty of Ireland, which position he held until the fall of the Tory ministry in 1830. After his return, Peel, in a letter to Wellington, declared him to have been 'the best chief-governor that ever presided over the affairs of Ireland'. The Duke's interest and involvement with the arts were extensive, being a Trustee of the British Museum and Vice-President of the Society of Arts. Besides the present picture, the Duke made several significant additions to the Northumberland collection, including an important pair of pietra dura cabinets by Domenico Cucci. Among his purchases from the Brogden sale, was the version of Michelangelo's Leda attributed to Rosso which he subsequently presented to the National Gallery.
This picture was attributed in the 1812 and 1954 sales to Caravaggio, whose work certainly had a major impact on Douffet during his stay in Rome. However, it is the influence of Caravaggio's followers, for example Valentin de Boulogne with whom Douffet lived in Rome, Baburen and Manfredi, that predominates in Douffet's work and is discernible in this Ecce Homo. The strong chiaroscuro and the sculptural quality of the figures in this picture are comparable to Douffet's most important painting, Pope Nicholas V at the tomb of Saint Francis (Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Munich: see B. Nicholson, Caravaggism in Europe, ed. L. Vertova, Milan, 1989, I, p. 103, II, figs. 650-53).
We are grateful to Professor Leonard Slatkes for the attribution of this picture which he dates shortly after Douffet's return to Liege (letter, 27 June 1998).
The collection of the Dukes of Northumberland ranks as one of the most important private art collections in Great Britain. It was originally housed primarily in the three main residences of the family: Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, Syon House, Middlesex, and Northumberland House, London, until the demolition of Northumberland House in 1874. The collection includes important works by Raphael, Titian, Andrea del Sarto, Tintoretto, Palma Vecchio, Sebastiano del Piombo, Canaletto, van Dyck and Turner. Hugh, 3rd Duke of Northumberland was aligned politically to the cause of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, and his support was reciprocated by the Prince, who created him Knight of the Garter in 1819 and Privy Councillor in 1825. In the same year, he acted as the King's personal representative at the coronation of King Charles X of France. The costs of that embassy, which was conducted with a magnificence exceptional even by the standards of the day, were borne by the Duke at his own expense, and on his return he was presented with a diamond-hilted sword as a national recognition of his services. In 1829, he accepted Wellington's offer of the Viceroyalty of Ireland, which position he held until the fall of the Tory ministry in 1830. After his return, Peel, in a letter to Wellington, declared him to have been 'the best chief-governor that ever presided over the affairs of Ireland'. The Duke's interest and involvement with the arts were extensive, being a Trustee of the British Museum and Vice-President of the Society of Arts. Besides the present picture, the Duke made several significant additions to the Northumberland collection, including an important pair of pietra dura cabinets by Domenico Cucci. Among his purchases from the Brogden sale, was the version of Michelangelo's Leda attributed to Rosso which he subsequently presented to the National Gallery.