Lot 2081 Dα

This charming portrait is a good, old copy of a lost painting by Frans van Mieris, which has survived through an engraving by Jan de Groot. The sitter is traditionally described as a courtesan because of her loose clothing, but it is probably Cunera van der Cock, the wife of Frans van Mieris. The counterpart is the self-portrait of the artist in oriental costume, which has also come down to us through Jan de Groot's engraving. The painting for this has survived and is in the Mauritshuis, The Hague (see Gerdien Wuestmann, "A naked woman en andere mezzotints naar Frans van Mieris", in "Gij zult niet feestbundelen": 34 bijdragen voor Peter Hecht, Zwolle 2016, pp. 247-253, fig. 5).
We would like to thank Dr Eddy Schavemaker for his kind support in cataloguing this painting.