Lot 1567 Nα

A remarkable bust portrait of the 8th Duke of Albuquerque, Don Francisco Fernandez de la Cueva, later Viceroy of New Spain and Sicily, who during his stay in Flanders between 1640-1643 was appointed General of the Cavalry and participated in the famous Battle of Rocroi (1643). He posed during that time for the Wautiers, painters of Flemish baroque, following the examples of his allies General Andrea Cantelmo (who was portrayed by Michaelina Wautier, 1643) and Charles Albert de Longueval, Count of Bucquoy (who was portrayed by Charles Wautier). No less would be expected of a man who played such a pivotal role in the establishment of Spain in the New World and whose interest in the arts were considerable, for his overseeing the construction of the cathedral of Mexico City.
With lengthy curling hair crowned by a hat, the duke wears a long lace collar, a red silk sash over a coat of plated armour, and a ceremonial baton of command, traditionally the sign of an officer of high ranking. The Wautier siblings’ style is easily recognisable here, and their authorship confirmed by the remains of a signature ‘Wa[..]’ at the top left corner. This type of writing is more likely Michaelina’s, her brother usually signing in capital letters. Still there has been some element of debate as to whether the work is to be ascribed to Michaelina or to her brother Charles. We identify in particular the brushwork and impasto of the eyes comparable to those of Saint Agnes in the painting of Two Girls as Saint Agnes and Dorothy (Antwerp Museum) by Michaelina Wautier. The characteristic elements of this portrait and a comparison with the signed works suggest that this is by Michaelina, according to Sanzsalazar. Despite the military formula of the present portrait, expressing power and authority, equally there is a feeling of emotion and intimacy, with the rendering of the eyes giving the sitter a sense of vulnerability that is entirely hers. The Portrait of the Duke of Alburquerque shows clear parallels with the Portrait of a man (Antonio Pimentel de Prado, Brussels Museum of Fine Arts, signed and dated 1646 by Michaelina), with regard to composition, palette and style. Sanzsalazar points out as particularly comparable the treatment of the hair, the construction of the face, the plasticity of the flesh tones and the design of the eyes, which have a very characteristic limpidness that gives them an emotional depth, avoiding the frontal gaze as it is the case in Michaelina’s portraits of Martino Martini and her brother Pierre Wautier; much different to the signed portraits by Charles Wautier (see the Portrait of a man dated 1656 in Brussels Fine Arts Museum or the Portrait of Abbot Michel Neutre, Mons Museum of Fine Arts).
What is unquestionable is that the Wautier siblings shared their working careers, studio and lives, with their having access to the highest military elite, the Archduke Leopold Wilhelm being among their most important patrons. Indeed, whilst Michaelina and Charles were prolific and talented artists, not only within Brussels but further afield, the recognition and appreciation built up during a lifetime’s work seems to have evaporated for a long time; they were forgotten in the chronicles of art history for centuries, being recently rediscovered with works such as this brilliant portrait, characterised by an uncompromising truth.


The authenticity of this work as by one of the Wautier siblings has been confirmed by Jahel Sanzsalazar and served as the subject of numerous articles of study.