Tuesday 26 April 2016

Flemish School, 16th century: link with Bernard van Orley

Lamas Bolano, from Spain, sells on 28 April 2016 a "Flemish School, 16th century" small Maria Lactans (31 by 22 cm) estimated at 12,000 Euro.

The nice work reminds me of a lot of artists of the period, foremost Jan Gossaert but also some others. Looking for comparable works, I cae across another Maria Lactans by Barend (or Bernard) van Orley, from a private collection. The position of the child (legs, hands) is nearly identical; the type of cushion also is very similar. The Van Orley painting is more static, sculpturesque while the one for sale is softer, more pictural.

No idea who painted it, probably not one of the major masters but someone close. The Master of the Holy Blood has some similar works, but like Orley is more sculptural.

The estimate seems about right, but it would be nice to know more about the painter and the origin of the composition.

UPDATE: a reader alerted me to a previous auction of this work: it was sold for 5,000 Euro at Alcala Subastas (also in Spain). It has been restored since then, and looks somewhat too clear now (may simply be due to the photo of course).

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