Frans Floris the Elder (Flemish 1517-1570)

Artist: Attributed to Frans Floris the Elder (Flemish 1517-1570).
Title: Depiction of Christ.
Medium: Oil on wooden panel.
Framed Size: Height 40.5 cm x Width 36.5 cm x Depth 8 cm.
Image Size: Height 26 cm x Width 21 cm.
Condition: This painting has recently been restored in London. It was cleaned, the old varnish was removed and the painting has been re-varnished. The frame dates from the 19th Century and has been recut to fit the panel. It is glazed with anti-reflective invisible ArtGlass AR70.
Provenance: Private Collection London.
Attribution is by Rohan McCulloch and Jan Leman, London 2017. Rohan has made notable discoveries including works by artists such as Sir Thomas Lawrence, John Bettes the Younger, Steven van der Meulen, Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, William Etty and Francesco Fracanzano. Jan studied drawing and painting at Edinburgh College of Art (B.A. Hons). A proven and meticulous picture researcher with numerous notable successes including works by Meidner, Gainsborough and Ribera. Both Rohan and Jan are in agreement, that in their opinion this work is by Frans Floris The Elder.

About: Frans Floris the Elder also known as Frans Floris de Vriendt was a Flemish painter born in Antwerp. Known mainly for his religious-themed paintings, Floris played an important role in the Northern Renaissance movement referred to as Romanism. The Romanists travelled to Italy to study the works of leading Italian High Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael. These Italian influences were then absorbed into the Northern painting tradition.

Frans Floris was a pioneer in the creation of carefully observed head studies, which he retained in his workshop to serve as models for future compositions. This painting by Floris is possibly a head study of Christ for a larger work by Floris ‘Allegory of the Trinity’ which is in the Louvre Museum, Paris. See the attached image together with another head study “Head of Christ” (1553).