Judith Leyster (1609-1660)

Portrait of a bearded Gentleman, bust length, wearing a coat and white ruff

Details

Judith Leyster (1609-1660)
Leyster, J.
Portrait of a bearded Gentleman, bust length, wearing a coat and white ruff
oil on canvas
27 x 22in. (68.5 x 56.5cm.)

Provenance

Private collection, The Hague, 1927.
G. Arnot, 1928, as Frans Hals.
with Knoedler's, New York, 1928, as Frans Hals.
with Robert Frank, 1937, as Frans Hals.
A.G. Mercuria, 1937-8, as Frans Hals.
with Knoedler's, New York, 1938, as Frans Hals.
with Pinakos, New York, 1948, as Frans Hals.
with Newhouse Galleries, New York, as Frans Hals and accompanied by a photocertificate from W.R. Valentiner dated May 28, 1948, from whom purchased by the present owner in 1964.

Literature

W.R. Valentiner, Catalogue introduction for the 1935 Detroit Exhibition, reproduced in full in Art News, 33, Jan. 12, 1935, pp. 3-11, as Frans Hals.
G.D. Gratama, Frans Hals, 1943, no. 36 as Frans Hals.
C. Grimm, L'opera completa de Frans Hals, 1974, p. 96, no. 80, fig. 80, as Frans Hals.
C. Grimm, Frans Hals, Das Gesamtwerk, 1989, pp. 272-3, no. 25, fig. 25 as Frans Hals.
F.F. Hofrichter, Judith Leyster, 1989, p. 61, no. 39, pl. 40.

Exhibited

Amsterdam, The Van Wisselingh Gallery, Hollandsche en Vlaamsche Schilderkunst der XVIIe Eeuw, July 20-Aug. 20, 1932, no. 4, as Frans Hals.
Wilmington, The Wilmington Society of Fine Arts, Exhibition of a Collection of Old Masters, April, 1935, no. 5, as Frans Hals.
Haarlem, Frans Halsmuseum, Frans Hals Tentoonstelling ter gelegenheid vat het 75-jarig bestaan van het Gemeentelijk Museum te Haarlem, July 1-Sept. 30, 1937, no. 39, as Frans Hals.
New York, Schaeffer Galleries, Paintings by Frans Hals: Exhibition for the Benefit of New York University, Nov. 9-23, 1937, no. 8, as Frans Hals.
Fort Worth, Fort Worth Art Association, Exhibition of Old Masters, Dec. 1940, no. 1, as Frans Hals.

Lot Essay

While Valentiner in his 1948 certificate dates the painting to 1630, Grimm (op. cit.) in dating the painting to 1631-2 compares it to the Portrait of Nicolaes van der Meer, in the Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem.

Hofrichter (op. cit.) reattributes the painting to Judith Leyster and dates it to circa 1635 citing the similar application of paint around the face and eyes in Leyster's Portrait of a Woman in the Frans Halsmuseum, Haarlem, which is dated 1635. She also points out that both the costume and the sitter wearing a beard without sideburns is consistent with fashion of this date.

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