Geldorp Gortzius

The Flemish history painter and portraitist Gortzius Geldorp, born in Leuven in 1553, is distinguished by a practice in which the two genres converge: his history paintings, in the Dutch tradition, are described as having the character of portraits. He trained in Antwerp: in 1570–1571, he joined the Guild of Saint Luke under Franz Francken the Elder, then entered the workshop of Frans Pourbus the Elder, a portraitist recognised in his time.

Geldorp subsequently obtained a position with Carlo d’Aragona Tagliavia, Duke of Terranuova, whom he regularly accompanied on his missions. His presence at the 1579 peace negotiations with the Netherlands in Cologne attests to a career linked to the duke’s household, in whose service he remained until the duke’s death in 1618. Established in the life of Cologne, he replaced Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Younger on the city council in 1610. From 1595, he signed his paintings with a monogram intertwining the initials GG, accompanied by an “f” for fecit.

The circulation of his portraits is also attested by prints: around 1601, Crispin de Passe the Elder reproduced the Portrait of Elector Lothar von Trier. Works by Geldorp are recorded at the Rhenish State Museum in Bonn — including the portraits of Eberhard III Jabach and his wife —, the Cologne City Museum, the Alte Pinakothek in Munich and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. A survey from 1920 counted around seventy surviving portraits, mainly painted on wood, about thirty of them in Cologne. His work also includes nine family portraits, the last dated 1610. The Koller sale catalogue lists a Portrait of Diana dated 1612 under his name; the lot sold for CHF 11,250, including the buyer’s premium.

Works recorded at auction

Piguet

Diane

Oil on wood

Original catalogue wording

Diane
huile sur bois

Catalogue period : 2024-09-12 — 2024-09-25

Published result : 1700 CHF

Fees not specified in the available data

Estimate : CHF 1500–2500

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Schuler · Lot 3302

Nachfolger Heilige Magdalena

Oil on wood

Original catalogue wording

Nachfolger Heilige Magdalena
Öl auf Holz

Catalogue period : 2015-12-11

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

Estimate : CHF 2200–3200

View the lot at the auction house ↗

Koller

Portrait of Diana. 1612.

Oil on panel

Original catalogue wording

Portrait of Diana. 1612.
oil on panel

Date to be documented

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

View the lot at the auction house ↗

References excluded from statistics: attributions and special lots

These references are shown separately because of their attribution or lot composition. Each record states the reason.

Genève Enchères · Lot 384

Attribué à Gortzius Geldorp — Sainte Marie-Madeleine

Oil on panel

Original catalogue wording

Attribué à Gortzius Geldorp — Sainte Marie-Madeleine
huile sur panneau
Attribué à

Catalogue period : 2015-12-09

Attributed to

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

Estimate : CHF 600–800

View the lot at the auction house ↗