Lot 15: PHILIP FRUYTIERS

A FEMALE SAINT GIVING ALMS, PROBABLY SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY

255.5 by 170 cm.; 100 1/2 by 67 in.

oil on canvas, unframed

We are grateful to Prof. Hans Vlieghe for identifying this as a work by Phillips Fruytiers, an Antwerp painter from Rubens's entourage who, especially in his works from circa 1650, took Rubens' late history paintings from the thirties as his example. The painting is closely comparable to the series of saints by Fruytiers, now in the Antwerp museum and published by Frans Baudouin in 1967 (see F. Baudouin, 'Een Antwerps schilder uit Rubens' omgeving, Philips Fruytiers, de monogrammist PHV', in Jaarboek Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen, 1967, pp. 151-186; and 'Nog een toeschrijving aan Philips Fruytiers, een Antwerps schilder uit Rubens' omgeving', in Bulletin Koninklijke Musea voor Schone Kunsten van België, 17, 1968, pp. 161-169).