17th century FLEMISH school, entourage of Peter Paul Rubens Nero Oak panel, three boards, not parqueted 80 x 62 cm On reverse: illegible red wax stamp; Christie's stencilled number "834X"; chalk inscriptions on reverse of frame "V19016/4"; worn marks of hands and Antwerp castle. (Old restorations) Provenance : - Probably sale The property of the Late Hon. William, Earl of Lonsdale, London, Christie s, June 13, 1887, no. 944 (sold to Lilley), according to the stencilled inscription on the reverse of the panel; - Simon Neal Collection. To be compared with the two portraits of Nero painted by Rubens (see Corpus Rubenianum, Portraits after prototypes, London and Turnhout, 2016, no. 44 and 52, reproduced fig. 161 and 177). It has been suggested that the red wax seal on the reverse should be attributed to Louis-François de Souffler (1644-1711), appointed Governor of Flanders by Louis XIV in 1695.