Diego Velázquez's $35 Million Portrait Poised to Shatter Auction Records

Anticipated Triple Surge: Diego Velázquez's $35 Million Portrait Poised to Shatter Auction Records

Diego Velázquez's striking full-length portrait of Isabel de Borbón, Queen of Spain (1623), is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in New York next February. This highly anticipated event marks the first time in over fifty years that a masterpiece of this caliber by Velázquez has been available on the secondary market, with an estimated value of $35 million.

Anticipation is high as the monumental portrait is expected to triple the 17th-century artist’s current auction record, previously set at £8.4 million ($10.6 million) in 2007 at Sotheby’s London.

The historical journey of the portrait unfolds in the 19th century when it was acquired by Henry Huth, a notable book collector who displayed it at Wykehurst Park in Sussex, England. Since then, the painting has remained in private collections and eventually changed hands in 1978 to its current owners.

Sotheby’s Chairman and Co-Worldwide Head of Old Master Paintings, George Wachter, expressed his admiration for the piece, stating, “This exceptional painting is remarkable not just for its beauty and quality but also for its scale and subject matter. Royal portraiture allowed Velázquez to push forward art in new and revolutionary ways, and this grand portrayal of Isabel de Borbón is an exceptional example of the artist at the height of his powers, shaping the direction of portraiture for generations to follow.”

Prior to the auction in New York, art enthusiasts will have the opportunity to view Isabel de Borbón, Queen of Spain in person at Sotheby’s New Bond Street Galleries in London from December 1st to 6th. This exhibition marks the painting's first showing in the U.K. in 50 years. The highly anticipated Sotheby’s annual Master Paintings auction is scheduled to take place on February 1st, 2024.

Image Source: Wikipedia