Portrait Of A Gentleman

An exceptionally fine 17th-century portrait of a gentleman attributed to Dutch painter, Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613-1670). This exquisite piece is a masterclass by one of Amsterdam’s most illustrious artists. Note the attention to detail, particularly in the handling of the hair and skin. The skin tones are hyper-realistic and probably applied in thin glazes. Fortunately, to support the attribution, the portrait has some interesting provenance relating to Dutch art dealer, Dorus Hermsen (1871-1931). Hermsen was also an artist but best known for his collection of Dutch old masters, which he housed at a historic property in The Hague. In Marjorie Bowen’s publication ‘De Nederlanden’, she refers to Hermsen’s fine taste. “The [former] house and garden of Johan de Witt on den Kneuterdijk, which for a long time empty and desolate have now turned into one of the wealthiest private painting museums in the world, tastefully and judiciously decorated by the artist and antique dealer Dorus Hermsen.