A wonderfully detailed and charismatic portrait, this exquisite work illustrates the technical mastery and artistic vision of Van Dyck. Henricus Steenwyck's stately yet approachable expression reflects Van Dyck's refined ability to comfort and relax his subjects, resulting in a realistic and acute portrait. Steenwyck was a painter of architecture, portraits, and history, employed in England by Charles I. Van Dyck depicts him in an unusual pose, holding up a piece of paper or cloth with one hand and gesturing at it with the other. Perhaps this empty fabric is intended to represent a clean slate or a blank canvas upon which Steenwyck creates his lovely paintings. Steenwyck stands sideways, gazing out in three quarter profile with shaggy hair and a slightly weathered face.

This portrait is a Mauquoy-Hendrickx State III (of VII) engraved by Paulus Pontius (Antwerp, 1603 - Antwerp, 1658) in collaboration with Anthony van Dyck (Antwerp, 1559 - London, 1641) as part of his Iconographie series of engraved portraits of famous people at the time. The plate has been marked in the lower left of the plate "Ant. van Dyck pinxit" and "Mart. vanden Enden excudit Cum privilegio" in the lower right. Beneath the engraved portrait is the inscription: HENRICVS STEENWYCK Pictor (NOTE: "Pictor" is handwritten in ink).

DOCUMENTED AND ILLUSTRATED IN:

1) Mauquoy-Hendrickx. L'Iconographie d'Antoine Van Dyck: Catalogue Raisonne I. Bruxelles: Bibliotheque Royale Albert I, 1991. Listed as catalogue no. 67 on pg. 145.

2) Mauquoy-Hendrickx. L'Iconographie d'Antoine Van Dyck: Catalogue Raisonne II. Bruxelles: Bibliotheque Royale Albert I, 1991. Illustrated as catalogue no. 67 on pg. 44.

3) A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

ABOUT THE FRAMING:
Framed to archival museum grade conservation standards, this piece is framed in a complementary moulding with silk mats and optical grade Plexiglas.