Poland cements itself as art market hotspot with Rubens portrait set to go for staggering 24mln PLN
Poland’s reputation as an art market hotspot has been given a further boost with news that Rubens’ 17th-century Portrait of a Lady is to go under the hammer in Warsaw.
With a guide price of PLN 18-24 million, experts say the piece could be the most expensive artwork ever sold in Poland.
The painting’s pre-auction display in the capital's DESA Unicum is the first time since 1965 that the Baroque canvas has been shown in public.
Auction house chief Juliusz Windorbski said: “Portraits by the Flemish painter are extremely rare in Europe, while in Poland a work of art of such enormous historical, artistic and investment value has never before been exhibited.”
Tomasz Dziewicki, head of the Old Art department at the auction house added that the appearance of such a rare and expensive painting as Portrait of a Lady is “phenomenal” and confirms the growing importance of Poland on the European art market.
The young woman with dark eyes and hair, wearing a black velvet dress was for more than 300 years believed to be a portrait of Isabella Brant, Rubens' first wife, but it is now thought that it may depict one of her sisters.
He said: “The appearance of such a large and artistically beautiful portrait by Rubens is an extraordinary event, all the more so when you consider its origins.”
Its pre-auction display in the capital's DESA Unicum is the first time since 1965 that the Baroque canvas has been shown in public.
For two centuries the painting found its home in one of England’s most magnificent stately homes, Stowe Palace, in the collection of the Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos.
Painted around 1620-25, Portrait of a Lady, has been held for over four centuries in the prestigious collections of European aristocrats, financiers and well-known collectors.
One of the first owners of the canvas was Sir Peter Lely, a leading painter in the British Isles at that time, an art collector and a friend of Rubens.
A photo published in the Parisian magazine Elle in 1957 shows Prince Muhammed Ali Ibrahim and Princesses Hanzade with their children sitting in their Paris apartment, with the Rubens hanging in the background.
Then for two centuries the painting found its home in one of England’s most magnificent stately homes, Stowe Palace, in the collection of the Dukes of Buckingham and Chandos.
It was sold at Christie's in London in 1848 and the painting changed hands among famous dealers and collectors: Robert Roe, the British financier and collector Wynne Ellis and the famous collector, diamond dealer and mining tycoon Jules Porges.
Tomasz Dziewicki, head of the Old Art department at the auction house said that the appearance of such a rare and expensive painting as Portrait of a Lady is “phenomenal” and confirms the growing importance of Poland on the European art market.
In the middle of the 20th century, Portrait of a Lady was bought by the Egyptian Prince Muhammed Ali Ibrahim and Princess Hanzade, where it remained until 2011.
After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, the Egyptian royal family lived in exile in Paris. A photo published in the Parisian magazine Elle in 1957 shows Prince Muhammed Ali Ibrahim and Princesses Hanzade with their children sitting in their Paris apartment, with the Rubens hanging in the background.
The painting was last seen at an exhibition in Brussels in 1965, and since 2011, it has been in private collections.
Auction house chief Juliusz Windorbski said: “Portraits by the Flemish painter (pictured) are extremely rare in Europe, while in Poland a work of art of such enormous historical, artistic and investment value has never before been exhibited.”
Who exactly is depicted in the painting has been the subject of some debate. The young woman with dark eyes and hair, wearing a black velvet dress was for more than 300 years believed to be a portrait of Isabella Brant, Rubens' first wife, but it is now thought that it may depict one of her sisters.
Another hypothesis is that the model was a member of the Duarte family, influential Jewish jewellers from 17th-century Antwerp.
Hopes are high that the sale will set a new record in the Polish art market. Its guide price of PLN 18-24 million easily outstrips the current record holder.
Ruben’s most expensive work remains the monumental canvas Massacre of Innocents, sold at Sotheby's in 2002 for £49.5 million, beating the top estimate eight-fold.
The painting Two Married Women by Andrzej Wróblewski was sold at auction in November last year for PLN 13.44 million, which in turn beat the PLN 13.2 million achieved by Magdalena Abakanowicz’s Crowd III, both of which were auctioned at DESA Unicum.
The Rubens’ auction is expected to attract the attention of art collectors not only from the region but also from the world as portraits by the artist often achieve high prices.
The Portrait of a Lady is not the only Rubens painting currently in Poland. Another painting by this artist, Portrait of Anna of Austria, Queen of France and Queen Regent in the 17th-century, is currently on display at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, recording record numbers of visitors.
Wawel Royal Castle already holds in its collections Rubens’ portrait of the young Władysław IV Vasa.
Wawel Royal Castle holds in its collections a portrait of the young Władysław IV Vasa by Rubens. Before he became king, he visited the artist's studio in 1624. The painting was donated to the Wawel in 2020 by the New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Five years ago, Portrait of Margherita Gonzaga by Rubens was exhibited in Warsaw's Royal Łazienki, only the second time the painting had ever been shown in public.
The Portrait of a Lady auction is set for March 17.
