The portrait of the Countess of Castlehaven is attributed to Anthony van Dyck, the great Flemish portraitist active at the court of Charles I of England. Painted around 1638–1639, it portrays the Countess of Castlehaven in three-quarter length, wrapped in a sumptuous green mantle that ripples as if stirred by the wind, creating a play of light and shadow that enhances theelegance of the fabrics and the refinement of the jewels she wears. The work is executed in oil on canvas and is now held at Wilton House, the historic seat of the Pembroke family near Salisbury, one of the most important aristocratic collections in England.
This portrait arose in the context of court portraiture in the first half of the 17th century, when Van Dyck became the painter of choice for the English aristocracy, called upon to celebrate the social status, taste and lifestyle of the elite. The frontal pose, the hand resting on the breast and the green drapery that seems to move of its own accord give the figure an intense stage presence, turning the portrait into a true declaration of prestige and noble femininity: an ideal work for collectors and lovers of the Baroque who wish to add to their surroundings an icon of 17th-century elegance by one of the supreme masters of European portraiture.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
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