17th century portrait of King William III sold for £21,500 at Belfast auction

The portrait attracted significant interest in Northern Ireland where the anniversary of the Protestant monarch’s victory over Catholic King James II at the Boyne in 1690 is marked every year by the Orange Order with large parades.

The portrait showing William of Orange on horseback during the Battle of the Boyne was sold by Bloomfield Auctions on Tuesday.

Following analysis by a specialist in English baroque painting at Tate Britain, the painting which dates from approximately 1693 has been attributed to Anglo–Dutch painter Jan Wyck in collaboration with Dutch portrait painter Constantijn Netscher.

Bloomfield Auctions said Tate Britain consulted experts at the RKD, the Dutch art history institute in The Hague, and it is believed the two artists worked together to create the picture – Wyck painting the battle and rearing grey horse with Constantijn Netscher doing the head of William III.

The painting is described as consistent with a late British baroque style and the setting is the Battle of the Boyne which took place on July 1 1690 between the forces of the deposed James II and William III, the husband of Queen Mary II.

Sotheby’s London also researched the history of the painting and believe it was produced in 1693, three years after the battle and is part of an enthusiastic celebration of the king by his Protestant subjects.

It is described as a detailed picture by a highly competent horse painter with the collaboration of a good portrait artist.