(Utrecht 1571–1638) Portrait of a gentleman, monogrammed and dated lower right: PM1624, oil on canvas, 70.5 x 55.7 cm, in an original carved gilded frame,

Provenance: formerly in the collection of the Counts of Vitzthum von Eckstädt, Schloss Lichtenwalde/ Saxony; Auktion Ball & Graupe, Berlin (1938); private collection, USA; Newhouse Galleries, New York (1957); private collection, USA.

Literaturee: C. H. de Jonge, Paulus Moreelse, Portreten Genreschilderte Utrecht 1571?1638, Assen 1938, p. 80, no. 70, pl. 54.

This painting from Schloss Lichtenwalde belonged to the collection of the Counts of Vitzthum von Eckstädt. Count Heinrich Vitzthum (1770–1837) was the Director of the Academy and the Royal Court Theatre in Dresden. The Count's father and uncle were royal-prince electoral diplomats, cabinet ministers and chamberlains. This portrait may have been taken to Lichtenwalde in connection with their activities for August the Strong and his son. Moreelse was one of the best known portrait painters of the Golden Age. Trained in the workshop of Michiel van Miereveldt, of whose work this painting is reminiscent, he visited Rome in in 1597. On his return to Utrecht, Moreelse founded the painters' guild in his home town in 1616. He was famous for his finely typical portraits. Karel van Mander reports of the artist, “In Utrecht lived a painter by the name of Paulus Moreelse. He distinguished himself in portrait painting and at present is working on several, which are masterly in their treatment...”.

Provenance: formerly in the collection of the Counts of Vitzthum von Eckstädt, Schloss Lichtenwalde/ Saxony; Auktion Ball & Graupe, Berlin (1938); private collection, USA; Newhouse Galleries, New York (1957); private collection, USA. Literaturee: C. H. d