Artwork
A Member of the de Hondecoeter Family [obverse]
![A Member of the de Hondecoeter Family [obverse], oil, 1543](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/a-member-of-the-de-hondecoeter-family-obverse--56718cc2d35bf2df-w1024.webp)
A Member of the de Hondecoeter Family [obverse] is an oil painting. It dates from 1543 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This oil painting, titled "A Member of the de Hondecoeter Family," presents a portrait of an unidentified man.
About this work
History & Provenance
2 in the Phillips Memorial Gallery exhibition Paintings and Sculpture Owned in Washington, there attributed to Ambrosius Benson.
A Member of the de Hondecoeter Family [obverse] was painted in Antwerp in 1543 as an oil on panel portrait. The work first entered the collection of Sir John Frechville Ramsden, 6th baronet, of Bulstrode, Buckinghamshire, and was sold at Christie's London on 11 July 1930 (lot 23). Hermann Ball of Berlin acquired the painting at that sale, later passing it to the Schaeffer Gallery in Berlin before Adolph Caspar Miller purchased it in Washington by 1937. Miller bequeathed the piece to the National Gallery of Art in 1952.
The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in 1952 as part of the bequest of Adolph Caspar Miller. Before that, it had been owned by Miller in Washington from at least 1937, when it was included as no. 2 in the Phillips Memorial Gallery exhibition Paintings and Sculpture Owned in Washington, there attributed to Ambrosius Benson. Prior to Miller's ownership, the panel passed through the Berlin dealer Hermann Ball and the Schaeffer Gallery in Berlin, having been sold in 1930 at Christie's, London (11 July 1930, no. 23) from the collection of Sir John Frechville Ramsden, 6th Baronet, of Bulstrode, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire; at that sale it was offered as a work of Joos van Cleve.
The work is held in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., per its collection record.
Legacy
The painting entered the National Gallery of Art in 1952 through the bequest of Adolph Caspar Miller, bringing it into a public museum context and prompting renewed scholarly attention. Early catalogues, including the 1937 Phillips Memorial Gallery listing, identified the work as Ambrosius Benson, reflecting evolving attribution practices that have shaped its modern reputation. Its provenance, documented sales in London, ownership by Hermann Ball, and eventual acquisition by the Miller family, illustrates a trajectory that has been cited in studies of 16th‑century portraiture and dealer networks.
Today the piece is studied as an example of Antwerp school portraiture and continues to appear in exhibitions and publications on early Netherlandish art.
Overview
This oil painting, titled "A Member of the de Hondecoeter Family," presents a portrait of an unidentified man. Executed on a wooden panel, the work exemplifies characteristics of the Renaissance period. The subject is depicted in somber attire, including a dark hat and jacket, and holds a brown cloth. His expression is notably serious, conveying a sense of gravity to the viewer.
Subject & Meaning
The painting features a male figure portrayed with a solemn demeanor, his gaze direct and unsmiling. He is dressed in formal dark garments, including a black hat and a jacket, which are offset by a crisp, white ruffled collar. In his hands, he gently holds a piece of brown fabric.
The composition focuses on the individual, suggesting a commission intended to capture the likeness and perhaps the character of a specific member of the de Hondecoeter lineage.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on a wooden panel, this portrait reflects the stylistic conventions prevalent during the Renaissance era. The artist demonstrates an attention to detail in rendering the textures of the man's dark clothing and the delicate ruffles of his white collar. The use of oil allows for subtle gradations of tone, contributing to the lifelike quality of the subject's serious expression and the overall sense of depth in the composition.
Artist & collection
