A previously unknown portrait of William of Orange, painted in 1583 by the Antwerp portrait painter Adriaen Thomasz Key, is being exhibited for the first time at the Stedelijk Museum Breda.

The painting surfaced last year at a British auction house, dirty and with an unclear provenance. It was initially thought to be from a student or follower of Adriaen Thomasz Key (1545–1589). After its purchase by a Flemish art dealer and a careful restoration, it turned out to be an authentic work by Key himself; the fourth known version of his famous portrait of William of Orange. The three other versions are located in the Mauritshuis (inv. no. 225), the Rijksmuseum (SK-A-3148), and the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza (inv. no. 208).

Adriaen Thomasz. Key (1545-after 1589), Portrait of William I (1533-1584), Prince of Orange, ca. 1579
Private collection

In the portrait, William of Orange wears the costume of the ‘Ruwaard’ of Brabant, an honorary position he received from the States of Brabant in recognition of his leadership in the Dutch Revolt against Spain. The dating on the painting, 1583, makes it extra special: it was painted just a year before his death in Delft.

The portrait will be included in the catalogue raisonné Willem and Adriaen Thomasz Key: Fresh perspectives on their oeuvres by Lien Vandenberghe and Gijsbrecht Key, edited by Koeraad Jonckheere. The publication will appear early next year in the series ‘Pictura Nova: Studies in 16th and 17th Century Flemish Painting and Drawing’ from publisher Brepols.

The portrait is on view at the Stedelijk Museum Breda to mark the exhibition William – The Price of Freedom (until April 6, 2026), which was produced with the Museum Prinsenhof Delft.