On June 6th, in New York City, at 5pm, Christie’s will be putting up for auction a collection of Old Master paintings. These works are simply beautiful. Even if they are, for the most painted by students or in the style of the actual old masters.
One of the few exceptions is a painting by none other than the master Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640 Flemish Baroque painter). Portrait of Ferdinando Gonzaga as a boy (Lot #84) is simply beautiful piece of art work.
This work is very a great example of a true master of paint and the brush. His brush strokes are seamless, color choice are amazing, the light and shadow play are done to perfection.
Christie’s current has the est. price from $500,000-$700,000, which according to other sources is a low auction price. I checked on two other Internet sites which both agree on the value of the work at $700,000-$1,000,000. To me, this price seems a little more reasonable for this work than what Christie’s has it valued at.
The above listed observations of the work are a clear understatement of this work. The way that Sir Rubens made Ferdinando’s clothing, as well as the tapestry that hangs behind him, look like actual velvet, the time and skill that it took to do this can only come from a true master at his craft.
The face of the child is very stereotypical of a Rubens painting in the way that it is as lifelike that it can be, but there is something that holds the viewer to knowing that it is still nothing more than a painting.
I could honestly see this work going for the high end of what Christie’s has it listed for, however not all the way up to the $1,000,000 that others have its estimated value listed at. This is a magnificent piece and whoever is the lucky new owner of this piece will surely have a treasure on their hands. This is a piece that if I were the lucky buyer, I would hold on to for generations to come.
For more on the sale, please visit the Christie’s website and view sale #2464.
Please view the work below as another, more popular work, a wedding portrait of Rubens and his wife Isabella Brant in the Honeysuckle Bower.
Art and Auction 