Paris – Bonhams will offer at auction on Wednesday 4 November in Paris an exceptional group of European Old Master paintings and drawings from the 16th and 17th centuries, bringing together works by some of the most celebrated names of the Northern Renaissance and the Flemish Baroque. Rich in art historical significance, provenance, and collector appeal, the collection offers rare devotional subjects, refined portraits, and evocative landscapes spanning two centuries of artistic innovation.
Stefania Lumetta, Head of Old Master Paintings at Bonhams in Paris said: "This collection offers a remarkable journey through two centuries of artistic excellence, from the refined elegance of Northern Renaissance devotional imagery to the powerful intimacy of Flemish portraiture. Bringing together works associated with artists such as the Master of the Female Half-Lengths, Jan Gossaert, Conrad Faber von Creuznach and Jacob Jordaens, it reflects the richness, sophistication and enduring appeal of European Old Master painting. The distinguished provenance and scholarly significance of many of these works make this a particularly exciting offering for collectors and institutions alike."
Leading the sale is Portrait of Catharina van Noordt, the artist's wife by Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678), an intimate and remarkably preserved depiction of the painter's wife. Distinguished by its luminous handling and highly personal character, the portrait has been exhibited at major institutions including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam in 1936 and the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 1978. It is estimated at €120,000-180,000.
Another highlight is The adoration of the shepherds by the enigmatic Master of the Female Half-Lengths, one of the most sought-after exponents of Antwerp Mannerism. Painted around 1530-1540, the square panel exemplifies the artist's elegant and highly refined style and bears comparison with a related work in the Museo del Prado, Madrid. The painting carries an estimate of €80,000-120,000.
Among the Renaissance portraits at auction is an impressive Portrait of a Gentleman Wearing a Renaissance Beret, attributed to Conrad Faber von Creuznach (1500-1552), an artist renowned for his penetrating likenesses and documentation of German humanist society. The work is estimated at €40,000-60,000.
The sale also features a rare and historically important Virgin and Child from the Workshop of Jan Gossaert, called Mabuse, bearing the inscription "IOANNES MALBODIVS INVENIT 1527". Exhibited in the landmark exhibition Le Siècle de Bruegel in Brussels and discussed in The Burlington Magazine, this devotional panel relates to one of Gossaert's most celebrated compositions and is estimated at €30,000-50,000.
Further highlights include an Adoration of the Shepherds, attributed to Cornelis Cornelisz. Kunst (€20,000-30,000), and an intimate Virgin and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist from the Workshop of Peter Paul Rubens (€18,000-25,000). Formerly regarded as an autograph work by Rubens, the painting's quality and close stylistic relationship with the master's oeuvre continue to underline its significance.
Landscape painting is represented by a selection of finely executed cabinet pictures, including Wooded Landscape with Saint Jerome Reading from the Workshop of Jan Brueghel the Elder (€25,000-35,000) and a richly detailed River Landscape in the Mountains, from the circle of Paul Bril, dated 1603 and painted on Antwerp copper (€10,000-15,000).
Together, these works illustrate the extraordinary diversity of artistic production in Northern Europe during the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Combining distinguished provenance, scholarly interest, and museum-quality craftsmanship, the collection presents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire works that encapsulate some of the most influential artistic traditions of early modern Europe.
Other highlights of the sale include:
• Jose Echenagusia, Arab Women Enjoying a Leisure Moment on a Terrace, oil on canvas (estimate: €40,000-60,000)
• Joseph Vernet, Marina in a storm, oil on canvas 56 x 80 cm (estimate: €35,000-45,000)
Bonhams will also present an exceptional group of European paintings and works on paper spanning the 18th and 19th centuries in its forthcoming sale in Paris, led by a remarkable decorative ensemble by Maurice Leloir (1853-1940), alongside important Spanish paintings, English portraits and French landscapes.
The sale is highlighted by Maurice Leloir's La visite de la frégate; La parade chez Nicolet; Sur le passage du roi Louis XV; Madame du Barry, a rare set of four monumental watercolours and gouaches depicting scenes from the reign of Louis XV, estimated at €60,000-80,000. Renowned for his mastery of historical costume and 18th-century subjects, Leloir combines scholarly precision with a vivid sense of narrative to recreate the elegance and theatricality of Ancien Régime France.
The sale also features À la mer by celebrated Dutch painter Jozef Israëls, estimated at €12,000-18,000 and a moving pastel dedicated to Camille Claudel by Léon Augustin Lhermitte. Le bêcheur, dated 1890 and estimated at €18,000-22,000 comes from the collection of Alain Delon.
French landscape painting is represented by two atmospheric works by Stanislas Lépine, including La Seine à Rouen (€15,000-20,000) and Le Canal Saint-Denis, clair de lune (€8,000-12,000), both demonstrating the artist's subtle treatment of light and water.
The auction will also offer a distinguished group of English portraits from a French private collection, including works attributed to Sir William Beechey, John Hoppner, and Henry Wyatt, reflecting the elegance and refinement of British portraiture from the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Attributed to John Hoppner R.A. (1758-1810), a portrait of a lady is estimated at €5,000 - 7,000 and A lady playing the harp attributed to Sir William Beechey R.A (1753-1839) is expected to fetch €4,000 - 6,000.
Among the international highlights is José Echena's impressive Orientalist canvas Femmes du harem profitant d'un moment de loisir sur une terrasse dominant Le Caire, estimated at €40,000-60,000. Rich in detail and bathed in luminous light, the painting exemplifies the European fascination with the East that characterised late 19th-century Orientalist art.
Also featured is Francisco Miralles y Galup's charming Un peintre dessinant au bord de la mer (€15,000-20,000), a refined example of the artist's elegant and atmospheric depictions of modern life.
Bringing together historical genre scenes, portraits, landscapes and Orientalist works, the sale offers collectors a compelling survey of European painting, showcasing artists celebrated for their technical accomplishment, historical insight and enduring appeal.
