Antonis Mor

LOT 17 PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION ANTHONIS MOR UTRECHT 1516/20 - 1576? ANTWERP PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN 30,000—50,000 USD measurements measurements note 18 1/8 by 15 3/8 in.; 46 by 39.1 cm. Description oil on panel PROVENANCE Marquis of San Carlos of the Two Sicilies; and thence by descenttoDon Juan Quiñones de León y Francisco Martín; and thence by descenttoThe Dukes of Placencia; and thence by descent toDon Ignacio Fernández de Strevestrosa y Gayoso de los Cabos,Marquis of Camarasa and Duke of Placencia; and thence by descenttoDoñna María Josefa Fernández de Henestrosa de Martínez del Rio,Marchioness of Cilleruelo, by 1951;Thence by descent in the family to the present owner, by whomoffered, New York, Christie's, 23 January 2004, lot 30 (as aPortrait of Don Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba). CATALOGUE NOTE We are grateful to Dr. Andrew John Martin for confirming theattribution to Mor based on photographs. He dates this portrait tothe mid-1560s.

LOT 174 PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE COLLECTOR ANTHONIS MOR UTRECHT 1516/20 - 1576? ANTWERP PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN, HALF-LENGTH, WEARING A BLACK SUIT 150,000—200,000 USD measurements measurements note 25 5/8 by 19 1/2 in.; 65 by 49.5 cm. oil on panel CATALOGUE NOTE Considered one of the foremost portrait painters of his time,Anthonis Mor (also called Antonio Moro or Moro van Dashorst) was apupil of Jan van Scorel. He spent most of his career as courtportraitist to the Habsburgs in Brussels, but also traveled toSpain, Portugal and England. From about 1554 he lived in Utrechtand from 1568 chiefly in Antwerp, where he died in circa1576.The present portrait is characteristic of Anthois Mor's style fromabout 1554 after his return to the Netherlands from Italy. HisItalian sojourn was a formative experience for Mor and he readilyadapted many elements of Italian painting to his own style. Titianin particular had a great impact on Mor's work as can be seen inthe present painting. Remarkable for the immediacy and presencewhich Mor has given to his sitter, the gentleman is depictedagainst a rich, dark background. His black doublet, the velvetytexture of which Mor has beautifully captured, recedes into thisbackdrop further emphasizing the man's face and hands, which Morhas set off vividly by the white linen collar and cuffs peeking outof the doublet's neck and sleeves. The translucent frills on thecollar and cuffs have been rendered with incredible delicacy andtechnical skill, while the two thin cords at the man's neck providean immediate focus for the eye and draw attention to the man'sface. Mor uses this device in other portraits, including hisPortrait of Metgen, Wife of the Artist in the Prado, Madrid (inv.no. 2114). The artist has further emphasized his sitter'spersonality by bathing his face and hands in bright, sweepinglight, thus bringing these markers of personality to the forefrontof the composition. The delicate precision of the brush-strokes andthe smooth patina of this panel further contribute to the overallquality and power of this work.Here, the attribution to Mor seems particularly compelling based onstylistic and technical similarities to his other works. Forexample his Self-portrait (Florence, Uffizi, inv. no. 1637),which utilizes the same three-quarters profile, anatomicallyaccurate ear and piercing eyes that engage directly with theviewer.We are grateful to Dr. Andrew John Martin for confirming theattribution to Anthonis Mor based on photographs. He has suggesteda dating to after 1555 for the present work.