Lempertz Old Masters Auction Sells van Orley Portrait for €845,000, Totals €5M
On May 28, 2026, Lempertz reported results from its Old Masters auction held in Cologne on May 21. A portrait of a young nobleman by Bernard van Orley, last sold from the collection of Baron Mayer de Rothschild and the Earls of Rosebery, fetched €845,000 after competition from international phone and saleroom bidders. A still life with fruit and a lute by Jan Davidsz. de Heem sold for €330,000, while a composition by Abraham van Beyeren featuring exotic fruit and shellfish reached €190,000. Pieter de Hooch’s ‘Woman sewing by a window with a maidservant and child’ brought around €140,000 and will enter a private European collection.
The Signal
The results underscore sustained demand for rare Flemish Renaissance works with few examples remaining in private hands and for high-quality Dutch still lifes that have recently entered major museum collections such as the Getty. The van Beyeren painting’s price above estimate and the de Heem result continue a pattern of strong performance for the genre at Lempertz. Total turnover of around €5 million provides a clear market signal for consignors considering the limited supply of comparable Old Master paintings.
Enjoying this? Get the daily wire.
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read.
No spam · 7am daily · unsubscribe anytime
- Artists: Bernard van Orley, Jan Davidsz. de Heem, Abraham van Beyeren, Pieter de Hooch
- Auction Houses: Lempertz
- Museums: Getty Museum
- Locations: Cologne
- Prices: €845,000, €330,000, €190,000, €140,000, €5 million
📊 Market Intelligence
Get deeper analysis, artist indices, and auction analytics on Art Collector IQ →
Get stories like this in your inbox
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read.
No spam · 7am daily · unsubscribe anytime
