A well-executed half-length portrait of a gentleman, circle of Willem Wissing set in a feigned sculptured oval cartouche. The subject posed in a full, dark wig wears a brown robe over a gold brocade jacket and lace cravat. His wig, fashionable dress and confident expression all indicate this is clearly a gentleman of some standing in society, possibly nobility. The painting has clearly been executed by an artist of great ability who has been influenced by Willem Wissing. The identity of the subject painted here has been lost over time as is often the case with portraits of this date.

Willem or William Wissing was born in Amsterdam in 1656. He studied at The Hague under Willem Doudijns (1630–97) and Arnoldus van Ravestyn (1615–90) before moving to England in 1676. There he studied under Sir Peter Lely and also served as his assistant at his studio. After the death of Lely Wissing set up his own successful studio and won commissions to paint the portraits of many prominent sitters and was assisted by fellow Dutch immigrant Jan van der Vaart. He died in Lincolnshire in 1687. Examples of his paintings are held by the Cromwell Museum, English Heritage, Ferens Art Gallery, Holburne Museum, National Galleries of Scotland, National Portrait Gallery, National Trust, Victoria Art Gallery and the Yale Centre for British Art.

© Benton Fine Art