Studio of Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez

Possibly James Abbott McNeill Whistler (1834-1903);
Arthur Jerome Eddy (1859-1920), Chicago;
Hyler Collection.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This work has not been recently restored. The canvas has an old European glue lining. The work is clearly very dirty. An area in the right side of the face has been more recently cleaned. It can be seen here that although some of the paint layer responds very well, restorations have been removed in the bridge of the nose, and above and below the lips. There are numerous small white non-original fillings addressing pock marks in the paint layer which were probably caused by heat damage. These can also be seen in the lower left in the shoulder of the figure, and in the collar beneath the chin. If and when the work is cleaned, numerous small retouches would be required, particularly in the forehead and in the chin.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The present work depicting Philip IV repeats the composition by Velázquez which now hangs in the National Gallery, London (inv. no. NG 745). It also relates to a slightly earlier composition in the Prado (inv. no. P-1185), another bust length portrait of the King. These two works were the last that Velázquez painted of Philip, towards the end of both the King's reign (1621-1665), and Velázquez's career (d. 1660). Note on Provenance:

The present work once formed part of the collection of Arthur Jerome Eddy (1859-1920), an influential Chicago collector who championed Modern art through his daring purchases, most famously at the 1913 Armory Show in New York and Chicago.  James Abbott McNeill Whistler, another possible owner of the present work, painted his portrait in 1894, a picture which now hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago (inv. no. 1931.501).