Portrait of a Lady

1565 · Private collection

portrait

Two canvases, the Portrait of a Bearded Gentleman, and its pendant the Portrait of a Lady, represent an unidentified couple. The man is depicted half length, in a black doublet, holding the Book of Psalms, while the woman also half length in a black gown, holding the Book of Psalms. The lengths of heavy gold chains looped around their necks suggest they were a couple of some material wealth.

About the Artist

Willem Key

1515 – 1568

Key, family of Flemish painters best known for their portraiture. Willem Key (c. 1515-68) was a pupil of Lambert Lombard c. 1540 in Liège. In 1542 he was made a master of the Antwerp Guild, where he spent the rest of his working life. His nephew, Adriaen Thomasz. Key (c. 1544 - after 1589), was probably his pupil. The latter became a master of the Antwerp Guild in 1568. Both artists were highly regarded in their day and did assured and solid portraits of famous people. Their religious works are less well known, and many of Willem's are known to have perished at the hands of iconoclasts.

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