Abstract
Amongst the most interesting and controversial paintings of American Museums, the impressive Portrait of Sir Arthur Hopton and a Secretary (Dallas, Meadows Museum) remains labelled as ‘Anonymous’ despite several attempts to identify its author. The work indeed has a long history of attributions, mostly to painters from the 17th century Spanish School, none of which proved convincing enough. When Matías Díaz Padrón proposed the Flemish painter Jacob van Oost as the possible author of the portrait, although solidly based on compelling stylistic considerations, scholars remained sceptical due to the lack of evidence of the possible contact between the sitter and the painter. The present article provides substantial new arguments to link Sir Arthur Hopton to Flanders, and more particularly to Bruges, Van Oost’s native city. Moreover, a closer look at the painting allows for an opportunity to question the assumed date of the portrait, 1641, considering 1649 instead. In this scenario, the sitter’s nephew, Sir Ralph Hopton is revealed as a key figure: his potential involvement in the commission and conception of the work providing answers to several questions that remained unexplained. Finally, an unnoticed inscription in the canvas possibly reveals much more.
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