Lot 1077 D α

This portrait of a young woman with a mirror or portrait miniature is a late work by the artist Jan Bijlert from Utrecht. Bijlert returned to his home town following a prolonged stay in Rome, where he worked among the Netherlandish Caravaggeschi. However, in this work no trace remains of the pronounced light and shadow contrasts favoured by this circle. Instead, it displays a Fijnschilder style similar to that of Eglon van der Neer, and it is thus unsurprising that the piece was attributed to this artist before the discovery of Bijlert's signature (RKD database).
Paul Huys Janssens has confirmed the authenticity of this work.