Double Portrait of Two Children C.1629; Circle of Paulus Moreelse (1571-1638) from the Collection Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife (1867-1931)

*An opportunity to purchase an item from the collection of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife (1867-1931), the eldest daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. She sold this painting at Christie’s on July 18, 1924 along with many others including portraits by Reynolds and Raeburn and religious scenes by Mabuse and Matsys. The work formed part of a collection formed in the 17th century by one of her husband’s forebears. Her husband was Alexander William George Duff 1st Duke of Fife (whose great grandfather was King William IV).

This magnificent double portrait represents a boy and girl wearing attire that was at the height of fashion at the time. The iconic black silks and velvets, wide lace collars, and puffed and slashed sleeves was de rigueur for the upper class. Texture and volume became immensely important. Rosettes, which had blossomed in popularity during the Elizabethan era, soared in popularity up to the 1650s and could be worn nearly anywhere: sleeves, garters, necklines, shoulders, belts, or shoes and many were in excess of 15cm (6 inches) in diameter. The extraordinary sumptuous costumes indicate considerable wealth and the painting speaks to the status of the family in Dutch society.

The artist revels in the detail of the fine lace and the facial features creating a very charming work.

Provenance: By family descent to Alexander William George Duff 1st Duke of Fife; H. R. H. The Princess Royal when sold at Christies London 18th July 1924 catalogued: “P. Moreelse, Portrait of a Boy and Girl”; private collection in southern Germany

Alexander William George Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, KG, KT, GCVO, VD, PC (1849-1912) was a British peer who married Princess Louise. Fife was born in Edinburgh, the son of James Duff (a grandson of the 3rd Earl Fife and heir presumptive to his uncle, the 4th Earl Fife) and his wife, the former Lady Agnes Hay, second daughter of the 18th Earl of Erroll and the former Lady Elizabeth FitzClarence (an illegitimate daughter of William IV). When his father succeeded as 5th Earl Fife in 1857, he acquired the courtesy title Viscount Macduff. In December 1911, while sailing to Egypt on the SS Delhi, the Duke and his family were shipwrecked off the coast of Morocco. They spent some time in the water and the whole family nearly drowned before being rescued and then had to walk 4 miles to accommodation along a rocky shore. The Duke fell ill with pleurisy and died at Aswan in Egypt on 29 January 1912.

Princess Louise, Princess Royal, Duchess of Fife (1867-1931) was the third child and the eldest daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Queen Alexandra; she was a younger sister of King George V. She was the sixth daughter of a British monarch to be styled Princess Royal. Louise experienced a happy childhood on her parent's Sandringham estate in Norfolk and spent and annual holidays with the family of her mother, Alexandra, Princess of Wales in Denmark. Louise married the extremely wealthy British nobleman Alexander William George Duff 6th Earl of Fife (whose great grandfather was King William IV) at the Private Chapel in Buckingham Palace. It has been accounted that no English princess ever received such a quantity of jewellery as Princess Louise of Wales on her marriage, valued at over £150,000. Louise and Fife were third cousins both being descended from King George III. Louise died at the age of 63 and was interred at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and was later buried with her husband at private chapel in the mausoleum of Mar Lodge in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. See the photo of the children of King Edward VII in 1875.

Horace Brand Farquhar, 1st Earl Farquhar (1844-1923) (a British financier, courtier and Conservative politician) died penniless and because of his partnership with the Princess Royal’s husband, the Prince

Much more info about this item at: www.titanfineart.com

In a market saturated with available paintings, Titan Fine Art offers a distinct advantage: we sift through thousands of works to provide a specially curated selection. Each piece is meticulously chosen based on technical merit, provenance, and decorative appeal, ensuring our clients view only the finest examples of British and European art.

With over 20 years of expertise and 1,000+ works placed with collectors and institutions, we are one of the most prolific specialists in 17th and 18th-century portraiture. We combine a scholarly approach with museum-level rigor to replace the uncertainty of the open market with absolute confidence.

Why Buy From Titan Fine Art?

• Expertly Curated Selection

We act as your expert eye, selecting only high-quality works that offer genuine historical and artistic value.

• Museum-Level Research

Each portrait is supported by extensive academic research, often exceeding 40 hours, to establish attribution, sitter identity, and historical context.

• Professional Conservation

All paintings are carefully cleaned and stabilised by professional conservators, and are presented ready to hang.

• Transparent Pricing

No buyer’s premium or hidden fees—unlike auction houses, where additional costs can add 25–35%.

• Export Pricing Advantage

Reduced pricing is available for works exported outside the UK.

• Specialist Global Shipping

We manage the entire process, including custom crating, export documentation, and fully tracked delivery worldwide.

• Buy with Confidence

A 7-day return policy and the option to pay in GBP, USD, or EUR for convenience and transparency.

• Original Period Frames

Many works retain their original carved and gilded frames, which are works of art in their own right and enhance both historical authenticity and decorative impact.

• Personal Advisory Service

We work directly with collectors and interior designers, offering guidance on selection, scale, and placement—including bespoke room mock-ups on request.

Subscribe to our monthly 'new item alert' to be the first to hear about new works