Prince Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567-1625)
follower of Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt (Delft 1567 – Delft 1641)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1587 - 1629
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
1080 x 800 mm (42 1/2 x 31 1/2 in)
Place of origin
Holland
Order this imageCollection
Dunham Massey, Cheshire
NT 932283
Caption
Maurice, Prince of Orange-Nassau, was the son of the Stadholder William I ‘The Silent’ (1533-1584) and his second wife Anne von Sachsen (d.1574). He succeeded his father in July 1584. A considerable strategist, he reformed the army and swept the Spaniards from the northern Netherlands, but could not expel them from the south. Coming into conflict with the ‘peace party’, who favoured a truce to foster trade, he sanctioned the execution of their leader van Oldenbarnevelt. He was made a Knight of the Garter by James I. The painting was acquired by the 10th Lord Stamford (of Dunham Massey), who was perhaps misled by the later inscription, which identifies the sitter as John Ireland, of Middleton, Lancashire.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, Prince Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567-1625), follower of Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt (Delft 1567 – Delft 1641). A three-quarter-length portrait of a man, standing, turned slightly to the right, gazing at the spectator, right hand knuckles on his hip, left on sword hilt, dressed in elaborately embroidered doublet and hose under a dark coloured cloak elaborately trimmed with gold, small ruff, the Garter medal hanging from his neck. Short pale brown hair brushed back, spade beard. Drapes on either side behind.
Provenance
Bequeathed to the National Trust with the house, estate and all the contents of Dunham Massey by Roger Grey, 10th Earl of Stamford (1896 - 1976)
Marks and inscriptions
(labelled)
Makers and roles
follower of Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt (Delft 1567 – Delft 1641), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Jan Anthonisz van Ravensteyn (The Hague c.1570 – The Hague 1669), artist