Friday, 10 April 2015

Queen Elizabeth of Hungary?

At Alex Cooper, an auctioneer in Maryland, they sell a painting of "Queen Elizabeth of Hungary", described as Italian School late 19th century, copy after an unidentified Baroque painting. Measuring some 75 by 58cm, it is estimated at $1,000 to 2,000. UPDATE: sold for $2,750!

Contrary to my habit, I don't have any information to contradict any of the above. Is it Italian? Perhaps, although it reminds me more of the paintings of French artists like Greuze. It is Elizabeth of Hungary? I haven't found any picture of her even remotely resembling this one, but I don't have a better possible subject either (Hera? Mary Queen of Heaven? ...) Is it a copy or a new invention? It looks so good, so accomplished in composition and colouring that if it isn't a copy but a new invention, it should be by some fairly well-known artist and worth a lot more. Even as a copy, I think the estimate is very conservative. The closeup of the head shows that the idea of a copy seems quite probable though, as the painting appears to be better in general than in detail, which is typical for such copies. Is it late 19th century? Again, no idea, the canvas doesn't look old enough to make it a 17th century painting, but the painting doesn't have the look and feel of a 20th century copy either (which would be worth less).

Perhaps someone here has a better idea of who painted this originally, when, and where, and what the subject is!

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