Follower of Justus SUSTERMANS (Antwerp, 1597 - Florence, 1681) Portrait of Emperor Ferdinand II. Oil on canvas. 64 x 53 cm. 86 x 75.5 cm with blackened wooden frame. Brass cartouche on the frame: "Joost SUTTERMANS, 1597-1681, Kaiser Ferdinand II von Oesterreich". Modern inscription in red on the frame: "Sustermans - Fernando II d'Austria". Restorations and repaints. The original official portrait of Ferdinand II is in the prestigious collections of Palazzo Pitti, Galleria Palatina, oil on canvas, 64 x 50 cm (inv. no. Pal. 203). It is the counterpart to that of Eleonora Gonzaga, whom he married in 1622. The pair of portraits were probably executed in Vienna by Sustermans around 1623 and sent to Florence as a token of thanks to the Grand Duchess Regent Maria Maddalena of Austria for inviting the painter to the Austrian court to paint the official full-length portraits of the two sovereigns. Ferdinand II (1578-1637), a member of the House of Habsburg, was Archduke of Austria from 1590 to his death, King of Bohemia from 1617 to 1619 and from 1620 to his death, and King of Hungary from 1618 to his death. In 1619, he was crowned Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, reigning from 1619 until his death. Giusto (Justus, Juste or Joost) Sustermans (or Suttermans) was a painter from Flanders whose works are never signed: they are therefore usually attributed to him or his workshop. The portrait of Ferdinand II has given rise to several replicas with variations, including our own, which is of good workmanship despite a few repaints. Expert: Virginie Journiac - [email protected]