NEWLY DISCOVERED PORTRAIT BY VELÁZQUEZ TO BE SOLD AT BONHAMS
A previously unknown portrait by the Spanish artist Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velázquez (1599-1660) will be the highlight of the Old Master Paintings auction on Wednesday 7th December 2011 at Bonhams, 101 New Bond Street, London. The work is a Portrait of a gentleman, bust-length, in a black tunic and white golilla collar and measures 47 x 39cm. It is estimated to sell for £2,000,000-3,000,000.
Andrew Mckenzie, Director of Old Master Paintings at Bonhams, comments, “This is an extraordinarily beautiful portrait which after extensive research we believe to be by the hand of Velázquez. We expect there to be great interest from around the globe as works by this master so rarely come to auction.”
In August 2010 a number of works by the nineteenth century British artist, Matthew Shepperson, were consigned for sale at Bonhams Oxford office. Among these works was a portrait of a gentleman, which was brought to the attention of the Old Master Paintings department in London who advised the Oxford saleroom to withdraw it from sale for further investigation.
The stylistic similarities to works by the great Spanish master led to extensive research by the department and consultant Brian Koetser; their views were confirmed by Dr Peter Cherry, Professor of Art History at the University of Dublin and one of the world’s foremost authorities on Velázquez and his school. In an article published in the Spanish arts magazine ARS, Cherry writes “the particularized likeness and recognisably lifelike texture, weight and colours of the fleshy face speak of the actual encounter between subject and painter; while the style and technical brilliance of the representation itself betrays its author.”
Carmen Garrido, Head of Technical Services at the Prado Museum in Madrid and author of the authoritative work on the artist’s technique, Velázquez: Technica y Evolución was consulted about the painting, and technical analysis and an x-radiograph further confirm the attribution to Velázquez.
The identity of the sitter is unknown but it is possible that it could be Juan Mateos, Philip IV’s Master of the Hunt.
Andrew Mackenzie comments, “Velázquez is one of the greatest geniuses in the entire history of Western art. The discovery of this lost treasure is a once in a lifetime experience and it is tremendously exciting to be able to bring it to the world’s attention.”
Further information and a fuller account of the technical research into this work can be found in an article from Bonhams magazine which is available on request.
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Hong Kong, Australia and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go towww.bonhams.com
