Portrait of Jan van Hellemont (1616-1665)
Artist
Govaert Flinck
Dutch, 1615–1660
Date1646
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions49 1/8 × 37 in. (124.8 × 94 cm)
Frame: 56 1/2 × 45 × 3 in. (143.5 × 114.3 × 7.6 cm)
Frame: 56 1/2 × 45 × 3 in. (143.5 × 114.3 × 7.6 cm)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LinePurchased with funds from the State of North Carolina
Object number58.4.2
On View
Not on viewProvenanceProbably commissioned by Jan van Hellemont (1616–1665) and his wife, Margaretha van Raephorst (1625–1690); created Amsterdam, 1646; inherited by her second husband, Cornelis Tromp (1629–1691), Amsterdam; [probate inventory/estate sale, Trompenburgh, 's-Graveland, Netherlands, 1692, no. 46] [1]; to his niece Sara Harpersdr. Tromp [later Sara van Kinschot and Sara van der Mast] (1655–1711), Delft; to her daughter [?] Catharina Cornelia van Kinschot ( –1763), Delft [2]; to her son Johan Anthony van Kinschot ( –1767), Delft [3][4]. Arthur Leigh Guinness ( –1898), London [William Dowdeswell, London, December 23, 1898]; [Charles Sedelmeyer, Paris, 1899]. Probably D. L. Einstein, New York, by 1905. Probably J. H. J. Mellaert, London, ca. 1928. Sir Charles and Lady Watson, Newton Hall, Cambridge, England. Viscountess Bertie of Thame, Shirburn Lodge, Oxford, England; [Christie, Manson & Woods, London, December 10, 1954, no. 55, as Portrait of a Gentleman and His Wife] [5]; [William Hallsborough Gallery, London]; [D. H. Cevat, London, by June 1957]; sold to NCMA, 1958.
[1] Inventory transcribed in W. Martin, "Een en ander uit den inventaris der nalatenschap van Cornelis Tromp," in Oud Holland 19, no. 2 (1901). The reference in question is on p. 74: "Een vanden heer van Helmont en desselfs gemalin samen." The original manuscript is in the collection of the Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam: inv. no. HS-1079, f. 19, 14-04-1692.
[2] Stadsarchief Delft, inv. nr. 847, Familie van Kinschot, Nr. 255 ‘Inventaris van den nagelate boedel en goederen van wijlen de weledelgeboren vrouwe C.C van Kinschot, weduwe wijlen de weledelgeborene heer Mr. G. van Kinschot, dato 1 april 1763’, f. 39 [Twee groote dito [pourtretten] met vergulde lijsten, verbeeldende de heer Burgemeester van Helmond en sijn vrouw] (Two large ditto [portraits] with gilded frames, depicting Mr. Mayor van Helmond and his wife). Although Jan van Hellemont was a councilor in Amsterdam, not a mayor, it seems almost certain that these are the same portraits as those that appeared in the estate of Cornelis Tromp and Cornelia's son Johan Anthony.
[3] Family Van Kinschot Inventory, 1767 Delft (now RKD, The Hague): ‘Den heere van Helmond met zijne huijvrouwe door Govert Flinck 1606 …‘ [Mr. Van Helmond and his wife by Govert Flinck 1606]. According to Tom van der Molen (correspondence, curatorial file, 9/7/2022), the 0 is probably a misreading of the signature, as both the painter and sitters were not yet born in that year. Furthermore, since the couple was married in 1644 – the inscription very likely was a 4 that was obscured under a yellowed or dirty varnish, and is clearly read as a 4 in the date of 1646 today.
[4] Several works from Johan Anthony van Kinschot’s collection were sold in Delft on July 21 and 22, 1767, but Flinck’s portraits are not listed in the catalogue: “Catalogus van Een Uitmuntend en Voortresselyk Cabinet Schilderyen der Beroemdste Nederlandsche en Andere Meesters…Alle naargelaaten door wylen Den WelEd: Gestr: Heer Mr Johan Anthony van Kinschot, In zyn WelEds leeven…” (auction catalogue) (Delft: Egbert van der Smout, July 21-22, 1767).
[5] Same lot as NCMA 58.4.3.
[1] Inventory transcribed in W. Martin, "Een en ander uit den inventaris der nalatenschap van Cornelis Tromp," in Oud Holland 19, no. 2 (1901). The reference in question is on p. 74: "Een vanden heer van Helmont en desselfs gemalin samen." The original manuscript is in the collection of the Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam: inv. no. HS-1079, f. 19, 14-04-1692.
[2] Stadsarchief Delft, inv. nr. 847, Familie van Kinschot, Nr. 255 ‘Inventaris van den nagelate boedel en goederen van wijlen de weledelgeboren vrouwe C.C van Kinschot, weduwe wijlen de weledelgeborene heer Mr. G. van Kinschot, dato 1 april 1763’, f. 39 [Twee groote dito [pourtretten] met vergulde lijsten, verbeeldende de heer Burgemeester van Helmond en sijn vrouw] (Two large ditto [portraits] with gilded frames, depicting Mr. Mayor van Helmond and his wife). Although Jan van Hellemont was a councilor in Amsterdam, not a mayor, it seems almost certain that these are the same portraits as those that appeared in the estate of Cornelis Tromp and Cornelia's son Johan Anthony.
[3] Family Van Kinschot Inventory, 1767 Delft (now RKD, The Hague): ‘Den heere van Helmond met zijne huijvrouwe door Govert Flinck 1606 …‘ [Mr. Van Helmond and his wife by Govert Flinck 1606]. According to Tom van der Molen (correspondence, curatorial file, 9/7/2022), the 0 is probably a misreading of the signature, as both the painter and sitters were not yet born in that year. Furthermore, since the couple was married in 1644 – the inscription very likely was a 4 that was obscured under a yellowed or dirty varnish, and is clearly read as a 4 in the date of 1646 today.
[4] Several works from Johan Anthony van Kinschot’s collection were sold in Delft on July 21 and 22, 1767, but Flinck’s portraits are not listed in the catalogue: “Catalogus van Een Uitmuntend en Voortresselyk Cabinet Schilderyen der Beroemdste Nederlandsche en Andere Meesters…Alle naargelaaten door wylen Den WelEd: Gestr: Heer Mr Johan Anthony van Kinschot, In zyn WelEds leeven…” (auction catalogue) (Delft: Egbert van der Smout, July 21-22, 1767).
[5] Same lot as NCMA 58.4.3.
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Giuseppe Vittore Ghislandi, called Fra Galgario
circa 1720–1730