This exquisite portrait was painted in the 17th century. The prime version of this portrait was painted around 1639 and is held at Petworth House, England. It was a common practice for patrons to commission various copies of the same portrait to decorate their various properties or to give to family members (such as a son or daughter for their estates). Portraits were a sort of visual genealogy, and as such it was also a common practice for descendants of important sitters to commission a copy for themselves to hang in a prominent place to highlight this family connection. This is an outstanding example of portraiture from the period and is housed in its fine contemporary frame.Van Dyck set a new standard for English portraiture and his portraits gave his royal and aristocratic sitters an unprecedented glamour and elegance and many artists replicated his work. His impact on the art world was immense and as such his portraits were regularly copied - even by major artists. Our ...