The early 1630s painting by Dutch master Frans Hals titled,"Portrait of a Man." The portrait that once hung over the fireplaceof Elizabeth Taylor's Bel Air home - and only recently reattributed to Hals -is expected to fetch up to $1 million at auction Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012, atChristie's in New York. AP Photo/Christie's.
By: Ula Ilnytzky, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP).-
A 17th century portrait that once hung over the fireplace ofElizabeth Taylor's Bel Air home — and only recently reattributed to the Dutchmaster Frans Hals — is expected to fetch up to $1 million at auction.
"Portraitof a Man," painted in the early 1630s, is being offered at Christie's saleof Old Masters on Wednesday.
A Halsscholar, Seymour Slive, had listed the painting as a "doubtful" Halsin a 1974 catalog, based on a black and white photo of the work.
AfterTaylor hung it in her home in the 1950s, "It academically fell off theradar," said Nicholas Hall, head of Christie's Old Master paintings.
But lastsummer, Christie's and Pieter Biesboer, the retired curator of Old Masterpaintings at the Frans Hals Museum in Holland, confirmed the work was by Hals.
"From 20yards away one could tell that it was an utterly authentic Hals, a totallycharacteristic picture with all the bravura, brushwork ... the very expressiveface," Hall said in telephone interview.
"On topof everything, there's a signature — 'FH' just to the right of the figureitself," he added.
Biesboer"absolutely had no hesitation in attributing it to Hals," Hall said.
Beforeits renewed reattribution, the painting had been estimated to sell for $70,000to $100,000 on Wednesday. Its current estimate is $700,000 to $1 million.
Thepainting, showing a gentleman in a black coat and white collar with his handsfolded, came into Taylor's possession in the 1950s, soon after her art dealerfather, Francis Taylor, acquired and gave it to her.
She hungit over the fireplace in the living room of her California home, near an iconiclithograph portrait of herself by Andy Warhol that sold at Christie's inDecember for $662,500.
"Portraitof a Man" was the only Old Master she owned, said Hall.
She wasvery fond of it. In 1956, while recuperating from back surgery at New YorkPresbyterian Medical Center, she had her hospital room decorated with"Portrait of a Man" and several other paintings, including a Renoirand Monet.
"Shereally digs the Frans Hals," her husband, Mike Todd, told reporters at thetime.
Otherpaintings from Taylor's collection will be sold by Christie's in London on Feb.7-8.
InDecember, the auction house sold her collection of jewelry, fashion andmemorabilia. Among the highlights was a pearl necklace that sold for $11.8million.
Thescreen and stage icon died in March at age 79.
"Portraitof a Man," painted in the early 1630s, is being offered at Christie's saleof Old Masters on Wednesday.
A Halsscholar, Seymour Slive, had listed the painting as a "doubtful" Halsin a 1974 catalog, based on a black and white photo of the work.
AfterTaylor hung it in her home in the 1950s, "It academically fell off theradar," said Nicholas Hall, head of Christie's Old Master paintings.
But lastsummer, Christie's and Pieter Biesboer, the retired curator of Old Masterpaintings at the Frans Hals Museum in Holland, confirmed the work was by Hals.
"From 20yards away one could tell that it was an utterly authentic Hals, a totallycharacteristic picture with all the bravura, brushwork ... the very expressiveface," Hall said in telephone interview.
"On topof everything, there's a signature — 'FH' just to the right of the figureitself," he added.
Biesboer"absolutely had no hesitation in attributing it to Hals," Hall said.
Beforeits renewed reattribution, the painting had been estimated to sell for $70,000to $100,000 on Wednesday. Its current estimate is $700,000 to $1 million.
Thepainting, showing a gentleman in a black coat and white collar with his handsfolded, came into Taylor's possession in the 1950s, soon after her art dealerfather, Francis Taylor, acquired and gave it to her.
She hungit over the fireplace in the living room of her California home, near an iconiclithograph portrait of herself by Andy Warhol that sold at Christie's inDecember for $662,500.
"Portraitof a Man" was the only Old Master she owned, said Hall.
She wasvery fond of it. In 1956, while recuperating from back surgery at New YorkPresbyterian Medical Center, she had her hospital room decorated with"Portrait of a Man" and several other paintings, including a Renoirand Monet.
"Shereally digs the Frans Hals," her husband, Mike Todd, told reporters at thetime.
Otherpaintings from Taylor's collection will be sold by Christie's in London on Feb.7-8.
InDecember, the auction house sold her collection of jewelry, fashion andmemorabilia. Among the highlights was a pearl necklace that sold for $11.8million.
Thescreen and stage icon died in March at age 79.
Elizabeth Taylor, left, with her art dealer father FrancisTaylor and mother Sara
NOTE: Happeningupon this item this morning was a happy surprise. The Frans Hals painting is really terrific and there-attribution story is surprising and splendid. It's rather nice to think about Elizabeth Taylor loving the painting for itself,even when its connection with Hals was considered doubtful. Some otherimpressive works in her collection are pictured Here (link).
I enjoyed learning of FrancisTaylor's friendship with the Welsh artist and Fitzrovian legend Augustus John andreading: "In a missive marked 25 June 1943, Francis Taylorwrote to Augustus John: 'We have settled down to living in California and ouryoung daughter is by way of being a moviestar, if you see a picture of Lassie Come Home which will bereleased in September, she is in that. 'Also she may get the lead part in National Velvet. Even ifyou are not a movie fan see the Lassie picture it is in colour and is beautiful.'"
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