Portrait of Baron Evrard de Fourneau de Cruyckenbourg (b. 1641) as a youth, wearing the order of the Knights of Malta

signed and dated lower left: C. WAVTIER / 1654; and charged with the sitter's coat of arms and inscribed upper left: MESSIRE EVRARD DE FOVRNEAV / EAGE DE 13 ANS CLR DE / MALTE / GRAND MAESTRE / -1654-

oil on canvas, unframed

canvas: 25 3/4 by 22 7/8 in.; 65.5 by 58.2 cm.

Evrard de Fourneau de Cruyckenbourg (b. 1641) was the son of Philippe-François de Fourneau, Comte de Cruyckenbourg, Baron de La Chapelle-Saint-Ulric (d. 1666) and Isabelle de Berchem, Dame de Ranst et de Milleghem (1616-1666). Philippe-François and Isabelle married on 20 April 1629 and had four children: Philippe Théodore (1630-1701), Henri François, Charles Antoine, and Evrard. Here Evrard is seen in his adolescence, aged 13 years old, wearing the order of the Knights of Malta with which he was appointed on 11 July 1655. Later in life he became commander of the Order in Villedieu lès Saultchevreuil, France and in 1690 in Kaaster, Flanders (or Cäestre, now France). Little is known of the de Fourneau family but they seem to have come from or lived in Brussels. The shield in the coat of arms (upper left) is covered by the so-called "bonnet de baron Brabançon" - a type of crown that was used exclusively in the Southern Netherlands. This crown only came into use during the Austrian rule (1715-1795), implying that the coat of arms is a later addition.

Prof. Katlijne van der Stighelen, to whom we are grateful, has endorsed the attribution to Charles Wautier. While Charles and his sister Michaelina Wautier (1604 – 1689) shared a house and studio throughout their lives, it is unlikely that they would have collaborated in a significant way on such a standard-sized portrait. Nevertheless it cannot be excluded that Michaelina may have added some finishing touches -- for example to the hair -- which is more characteristic of Michaelina's style. However, this hypothesis doesn’t correspond with the fact that the portrait is fully signed by Charles Wautier.