Flemish School, 17th Century

With B. Cohen & Sons, London, 1961 (as circle of Abraham Janssens, according to a note at the R.K.D., The Hague).

The actual painting is softer in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The panel consists of two vertical planks and is lightly bevelled on all sides. The join, which is visible to the front, has been reinforced to the reverse with 9 small battons. The panel has a faint convex bow. A thin retouched split is running along the left edge. The paint layer is secure and is under a dirty varnish layer. Discoloured retouchings can be observed along the join, in her shoulder, hands, and to the upper and lower right. Inspection under UV light reveals additional ones in her chest and hair. Her face appears to be nicely intact. Offered in a later plain wood frame in fair condition. (MW)
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We are grateful to Jan de Maere for tentatively suggesting an attribution to Jan van den Hoecke (1611-1651), on the basis of a photograph.