Wife of a Member of the de Hondecoeter Family, 1543

West Building, Main Floor — Gallery 41-A

Medium

oil on panel

Dimensions

painted surface: 24.5 x 18.8 cm (9 5/8 x 7 3/8 in.)
overall (panel): 26 x 20.1 cm (10 1/4 x 7 15/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Adolph Caspar Miller

Accession Number

1953.3.4

Artists / Makers

Antwerp 16th Century (painter)

Image Use

This image is in the public domain.
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Provenance

Sir John Frechville Ramsden [1877-1958], 6th Bart., Bulstrode, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire; (sale, Christie's, London, 11 July 1930, no. 23, as Joos van Cleve); sold 1930 to (Hermann Ball, Berlin);[1] (Schaeffer Gallery, Berlin, by 1930);[2] Adolph Caspar Miller, Washington, by 1937;[3] bequest 1953 to NGA.

[1] This is known from an annotated copy of the Christie's sale catalogue in the NGA curatorial files. Information about art dealer Hermann Ball and his firm provided by Mrs. H. S. Schaeffer.

[2] Mrs. H. S. Schaeffer wrote on 6 June 1983, "It is very possible that Alex Ball [son of gallery founder Hermann] bought the paintings in London and gave them to my husband for sale, as they did not have many paintings at this time. I know that Mr. and Mrs. Miller bought them directly from us." Letter in NGA curatorial files.

[3] Washington, Phillips Memorial Gallery, 1937, Paintings and Sculpture Owned in Washington, no. 2 (as Ambrosius Benson).

Associated Names

Ball, Hermann
Christie, Manson & Woods, Ltd.
Miller, Adolph Caspar
Ramsden, 6th Bart, John Frechville, Sir
Schaeffer Galleries, Inc.

Exhibition History

1937: Paintings and Sculpture Owned in Washington, Phillips Memorial Gallery, Washington, 1937, no. 1, as Ambrosius Benson.

Technical Summary

The painting is generally in good condition. There are small scattered retouchings throughout and a small abraded loss in the hair on the right side of the face. As with its pendant, the background is covered with a green pigmented varnish that may cover damage and partial restoration. Infrared examination and infrared reflectography reveal underdrawing in the face and hands.

Reverse: A layer of black paint has been applied over the ground.

Bibliography

1924: Friedländer, Max J. Die altniederländische Malerei 14 vols. 1924-1937. Berlin, 1934: 11:107, 147, no. 296, pol. 93-94. (English ed., 14 vols., 1967-1976. Leiden, 1974: 11:61, 101, no. 296, pl. 183).

1957: Marlier, Georges. Ambrosius Benson et la peinture à Bruges au temps de Charles-Quint. Damme, 1957: 256-257, 320-321, no. 146, pl. 75.

1965: Summary Catalogue of European Paintings and Sculpture. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1965: 14, as Wife of Niclaes de Hondecoeter by Ambrosius Benson.

1968: National Gallery of Art. European Paintings and Sculpture, Illustrations. Washington, 1968: 6, repro., as Wife of Niclaes de Hondecoeter by Ambrosius Benson.

1975: European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 26, repro., as Wife of Niclaes de Hondecoeter by Ambrosius Benson

1984: Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 158, no. 172, color repro., as by South Netherlandish School.

1985: European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 32, repro.

1986: Hand, John Oliver and Martha Wolff. Early Netherlandish Painting. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, 1986: 7-12, repro. 9.