Jan Portielje, ‘Middle Eastern Beauty’

Jan Portielje, ‘Middle Eastern Beauty’.

Signed: J Portielje (Lower Left)

Further Signed, Inscribed and Dated on the Reverse: “The Undersigned Declares / that this picture has been / painted by himself to the / order of Mr A D’Huyvetter Jr / of Antwerp / 1881 J Portielje”.

Oil on Canvas.

Dimensions: 111.8×81.3 cm.

Jan Portielje (20 April 1829, Amsterdam – 6 February1908, Antwerp).

Jan Frederik Pieter Portielje was a Dutch-Belgian painter of genre scenes and portraits; mostly of ladies. He was the tenth of eleven children born to Gerrit Portielje, a bookseller, and his wife, Jacoba Zeegers. From 1842 to 1849, he studied at the Koninklijke Akademie van Beeldende Kunsten with ValentijnBing and Jan Braet von Überfeldt. He stayed in Paris from 1851 to 1853 and worked as a portraitist, with a large clientele in both Brussels and Antwerp, where he eventually settled.

In 1853, he married Eulalie Lemarie (1828-1903), and they had five children; two of whom, Gerard and Edward, also became painters. His genre pictures featured elegant women in gardens and luxurious interiors. Some were dressed in Orientalist style. His paintings proved to be especially popular in the United States and he worked closely with several well-known art dealers; such as Albert D’Huyvetter and his son (also named Albert), natives of Antwerp who were based in New York City, and the Prinz Brothers of Chicago. He had a major show at the ‘Exposition Internationale d’Anvers’ (1894) and was a regular participant in the ‘Exhibition of Living Masters’ from 1848 to 1888. Outside of Belgium and the Netherlands, his works can be seen at the Alfred East Art Gallery in Kettering and the Bendigo Art Gallery in New South Wales.

Albert D’Huyvetter junior, who ordered the present painting, was a famous Belgian art dealer. He, together with his father Albert senior, was mainly active in the North American market. Father and son not only sold paintings by European artists for a commission, they also worked with numerous artists. Belgian artists they collaborated with included: Jan Portielje, Edward Portielje and Gerard Portielje, all three painters of genre scenes, David Col, Ferdinand Pauwels, Jozef van Lerius, Henri van Seben, Hendrik Frans Schaefels, Lucas Victor Schaefels, Leon Herbo. Albert Junior took over in 1872 in charge of the business his father had started in New York City in 1852. However, he continued to operate mainly from Antwerp, at Offerandestraat 5/11, later Korte Gasthuisstraat 3.

Provenance:

Anonymous Sale, Christie’s, New York, 4 June 2009, Lot 114.

Ex-Private Collection, U.S.A.

Painted on the order of Mr. A. D’Huyvetter Jr, Antwerp.

Price on application

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance