Charles II Dancing at The Hague, the Netherlands

Little is known about this painting, or the artist. It has traditionally been ascribed to Gonzales Coques and was believed to show Charles II dancing at The Hague in 1660, perhaps with his niece Elizabeth van de Paltz. They were at a reception at the Stadtholder's court on the occasion of his restoration as King of England. Against this it must be said that the resemblance of the principal figure to Charles II is not convincing, and as he wears both a cloak emblazoned with fleur-de-lys and the collar and emblem of the Order of the Golden Fleece, it may equally be a portrait of Louis XIV dancing in a Dutch interior setting on some other occasion. There are several other interpretations of this subject documenting Charles II's last days of exile before his departure for England. The painting is in the style of 17th-century Dutch work, with a typically enclosed interior.
Materials: oil on canvas

Measurements: painting: 838 x 1194 mm