French School, 17th Century

Friedrich Ludwig (Fritz) Gans (1833-1920), Frankfurt am Main;

Thence by descent to his son, Ludwig Wilhelm von Gans (1869-1946), Kestenhöh, Taunus;

His sale, Frankfurt am Main, Hugo Helbing, 7 May 1929, lot 60 (as "Französischer Meister aus der Nachfolge Clouets, 2nd Half 16th Century");

Anonymous sale ("A Distinguished Russian Noble Family"), Amsterdam, Sotheby's, 8 September 2004, lot 1212 (as Follower of Frans Pourbus the Younger);

Thereafter acquired by the present collector.

Raised at the French court, Christina of Lorraine (1565-1637) was the daughter of Charles III of Lorraine and favorite grandaughter of Catherine de' Medici. An inscription etched on the reverse of the present portrait identifies Christina as the sitter and bears the significant date of 1589, the year of her lavish wedding ceremony to Ferdinado I, Grand Duke of Tuscany. Probably intended to commemorate her marriage, this jewel-like portrait is thought to be a workshop copy of a portrait in the Uffizi, Florence attributed to an anonymous Valois court portraitist.¹

In addition to the inscription, the reverse of this copper plate is etched with a horizontal landscape depicting trees and fortifications along with an unidentified coat of arms. Its unusual and fascinating presence suggests that this painting was executed on the verso of an abandoned engraving matrix.

¹ Christine of Lorraine, oil on canvas, Uffizi, Florence, inv. 1890, no. 4338