Flemish School, late 16th or 17th century

This half-length portrait of a noblewoman abounds in finely rendered details, from her delicate facial features to her luxurious fabrics and ornate jewels. Although the sitter's identity has yet to be confirmed, her luxurious attire and the elaborate gold necklace adorned with notably large ruby around her neck suggest she is someone of great prominence. Her features do bear some affinities to those of Elizabeth I, while the costume and the painting's half-length format have some parallels to portraits made of the Queen in the late 1560s or early 1570s.

1. The style of the costume, for example, can be compared to that found in a three-quarter portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by the workshop of Steven van der Meulen that recently appeared at Bonham's London, 4 December 2019, lot 26.