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Lot Essay
In his 1963 catalogue raisonné of Velázquez, José López-Rey lists twelve self-portraits and 'so-called self-portraits', among which is the present work which he refers to as 'a school piece'. The work in the Museo de Bellas Artes de San Pío V, Valencia is considered the prime autograph version. The present work differs from that painting, which has been dated to c. 1640, in the inclusion of the badge of the Order of Santiago which the artist received in 1659.
The present work has an illustrious provenance having once formed part of the famed Cook collection at Doughty House, Richmond. Sir Francis Cook became the head of his father's textile, manufacturing and wholesaling firm in 1869, establishing through it a fortune that enabled him to become one of the principal collectors of antique Greek and Roman sculpture in the Victorian era, as well as a major buyer of paintings, acquiring his collection mostly at auction between 1855 and 1870. Cook's wide ranging collection of paintings at Doughty House was one of the finest of his time, including such works as Titian's celebrated Portrait of Ranuccio Farnese, Fra Angelico and Fra Filippino Lippi's Adoration of the Magi, Bellini's Episode from the life of Publius Cornelius Scipio, François Clouet's A Lady in her Bath, Mantegna's Christ Child blessing (all National Gallery, Washington, D.C.) and Titian's Portrait of a Lady (National Gallery, London).
The present work has an illustrious provenance having once formed part of the famed Cook collection at Doughty House, Richmond. Sir Francis Cook became the head of his father's textile, manufacturing and wholesaling firm in 1869, establishing through it a fortune that enabled him to become one of the principal collectors of antique Greek and Roman sculpture in the Victorian era, as well as a major buyer of paintings, acquiring his collection mostly at auction between 1855 and 1870. Cook's wide ranging collection of paintings at Doughty House was one of the finest of his time, including such works as Titian's celebrated Portrait of Ranuccio Farnese, Fra Angelico and Fra Filippino Lippi's Adoration of the Magi, Bellini's Episode from the life of Publius Cornelius Scipio, François Clouet's A Lady in her Bath, Mantegna's Christ Child blessing (all National Gallery, Washington, D.C.) and Titian's Portrait of a Lady (National Gallery, London).