Continental School (18th century), after a 16th-century prototype Bust portrait of Emperor Gaius...

Continental School (18th century), after a 16th-century prototype Bust portrait of Emperor Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, known as Caligula (12 AD - 41 AD) unsigned; inscribed 'CALVS / CALIGVLA 4' (along the upper edge); panel maker's mark from Michiel Claessens (on the reverse) oil on panel 65.5 x 49.5 cm (25 13/16 x 19 1/2 in). framed 83.0 x 67.5 x 5.5 cm (32 7/8 x 26 5/8 x 2 1/8 in). Footnotes: N.B. The reverse of this panel is stamped with the panel mark of Michiel Claessens, who worked in Antwerp from 1590-1637. The painting itself is a century or two later than this date, meaning either that the panel remained unused until the 18th century or that an original painting was overpainted with this portrait. This portrait was likely a part of a series of portraits of Roman emperors, which was a common theme beginning in the 16th century. The present work was possibly based on a 16th-century print and bears compositional similarities to a series of emperor portraits by a follower of Peter Paul Rubens, sold at Christie's, New York, Old Master Paintings and Sculpture Online, January 31 2023, lot 335, as the work of a follower of Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). The original Rubens work is held in the collection of the Staatsgalerie in Stuttgart. Michiel Claessens worked from 1590, when he is recorded as being registered in the Guild of Saint Luke as a master's son, until his death in 1637. Upon his death, his son Hans - whose mark is unknown - took over the workshop. There are 38 known paintings besides the present work bearing the panel mark of Michiel Claessens. In addition, 18 panels from the paneling in the Winter Room (the most important of King Christian IV's three private chambers) at the Rosenborg Castle, Copenhagen, bear Claessens's panel mark. Claessens's mark has also been found on paintings by van Dyck. The present work has been examined via digital images by the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD). Information on Michiel Claessens, panel maker, from Piet Bakker, 'The Claessens Family – A Biographical Timeline', in Jordaens Van Dyck Panel Paintings Project (edited by Justin Davies). For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing