Sotheby’s brings forth a slew of quality paintings this Wednesday that underscore the tide of the market right now-quality works are available, just not by top-flight masters. The market’s strong performance during the recession, however, may lead to new buying interest in this area. In a phone conversation with OMNP, George Wachter, International Department Head of Old Master Paintings for Sotheby’s in New York, remarked that the sale will be an interesting test for this middle section of the market, which experienced lackluster interest at Sotheby’s last major OM auction in January.
Middle market aside, there a few big-name exceptions up for sale- an atypical, non-Venetian view by Francesco Guardi; and more notably, a vintage work by Adriaen Van Ostade- one of the unsung heroes of genre painting during the Dutch Golden Age.
Van Ostade’s career was marked by a pioneering realism which turned a sentimental eye towards the Dutch underclass. This painting shows his ability to capture the complex realities of their hardship. The soft light shed upon a group of aging reprobates recasts debaucherous behavior as a source of camaraderie, a golden bubble of revelry that harmonizes with their otherwise muddy circumstances. Inspiration is often seen through the invisible man, and here we find the timeless perseverance of the human spirit for the affordable price of £30,000 -50,000 GBP.
Comparing prices, it’s interesting to see an unattributed portrait of Lucretia, from the workshop of Lucas Cranach the Elder (est. £20-30,000 GBP), being in the same ballpark as the Van Ostade, considering that you could have had the real deal done by Cranach, back in late January. One wonders if that painting’s sale had anything to do with this lot’s generous estimate.
Our favorite work and dark horse from this sale, however, has to be “Judith and Holofernes,” by the Italian Mannerist, Jacopo Coppi. First of all, this painting is pretty amazing. It looks like something the great Bronzino would have done, yet it’s totally unique for the time.
The hard geometry of its jagged composition (look how the way Holofernes leg rudely places itself in the foreground ) is skillfully mediated with a creamy palette and a rhythmic use of drapery. Second of all, a fair amount of Sportscenter watching over the years has made OMNP a sucker for the way European/South American countries officially refer to their stars by their nicknames. This guy’s nickname, “Del Meglio,” is the best, literally.
Other works by never-heard-of’s include a solidly executed Vanitas still-life by Edwaert Collier, and a charming domestic portrait from the French Rococo by Noël Hallé.
Click on each image to be redirected to Sotheby’s website for further lot information.
FURTHER:
In the Hunt, Finding the Best [IN Paintings]
Inés Nieto previews this Spring’s upcoming Old Master sales
Adriaen Van Ostade [via Wikipedia]
LOT 3
SCHOOL OF THE LOWER RHINE, 16TH CENTURY
THE MARTYRDOM OF SAINT CATHERINE;
SAINTS ANTHONY AND PAUL THE HERMIT
8,000—12,000 GBP
LOT 4
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION
FOLLOWER OF LUCAS CRANACH THE YOUNGER
SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHING IN THE WILDERNESS
12,000—18,000 GBP
.
LOT 5
PROPERTY FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF JAKOB AND ROSA OPPENHEIMER
WORKSHOP OF LUCAS CRANACH THE ELDER
KRONACH 1472 – 1553 WEIMAR
LUCRETIA
20,000—30,000 GBP
.
LOT 9
– FLEMISH SCHOOL, 17TH CENTURY
MINERVA AND TIME CLIPPING CUPID’S WINGS
10,000—15,000 GBP
.
LOT 16
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
ATTRIBUTED TO CAREL DE MOOR
LEIDEN 1655 – 1738 LEIDEN OR WARMOND
A BOY FISHING AT THE EDGE OF A BROOK, TALKING TO A YOUNG LADY
8,000—12,000 GBP
.
LOT 17
HENDRICK BLOEMAERT
UTRECHT 1601/2 – 1672
A MALE FIGURE READING BY CANDLELIGHT
5,000—8,000 GBP
.
LOT 18
PROPERTY FROM A EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
ADRIAEN JANSZ. VAN OSTADE
HAARLEM 1610 – 1685
A TAVERN INTERIOR WITH PEASANTS DRINKING BENEATH A WINDOW
30,000—50,000 GBP
.
LOT 23
FOLLOWER OF JAN BRUEGHEL THE YOUNGER
THE VIRGIN AND CHILD WITH ANGELS IN A GARLAND OF FLOWERS
5,000—7,000 GBP
.
.
.
LOT 26
WILLEM VAN AELST
DELFT 1627 – IN OR AFTER 1683 AMSTERDAM (?)
STILL LIFE OF GAME WITH A PHEASANT, A DUCK, A KINGFISHER AND OTHER BIRDS
20,000—30,000 GBP
LOT 39
PROPERTY FROM A SPANISH PRIVATE COLLECTION
ATTRIBUTED TO BERNARDINO GATTI, CALLED SOJARO
PAVIA 1495/1500 – 1576 CREMONA
THE MYSTIC MARRIAGE OF ST. CATHERINE
15,000—20,000 GBP
.
LOT 38
SCHOOL OF FERRARA, MID-16TH CENTURY
THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS
10,000—15,000 GBP
.
LOT 41
LUCA CAMBIASO
MONEGLIA 1527 – 1585 MADRID
THE MAGDALENE RENOUNCING THE VANITIES OF THE WORLD
20,000—30,000 GBP
.
LOT 59
NOËL HALLÉ
PARIS 1711 – 1781
AN INTERIOR WITH TWO WOMEN ENTERTAINING A CHILD
15,000—20,000 GBP
.
LOT 58
JACOPO ALESSANDRO CALVI, CALLED IL SORDINO
BOLOGNA 1740-1815
ELECTRA AND ORESTES
10,000—15,000 GBP
.
LOT 55
GIOVANNI FRANCESO GRIMALDI
BOLOGNA 1606 – 1680 ROME
A RIVER LANDSCAPE WITH AN ELEGANT COUPLE BOATING IN THE FOREGROUND
6,000—8,000 GBP
.
LOT 47
CARLO FRANCESCO NUVOLONE
MILAN 1609 – 1662
THE LAMENTATION
12,000—18,000 GBP
.
.
.
LOT 43
JACOPO COPPI, CALLED DEL MEGLIO
PERETOLA 1523 – 1591 FLORENCE
JUDITH WITH THE HEAD OF HOLOFERNES
20,000—30,000 GBP
.
LOT 42
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
TOMMASO D’ANTONIO MANZUOLI, CALLED MASO DA SAN FRIANO
FLORENCE CIRCA 1532 – 1571
A TROMPE L’OEIL DESIGN FOR A WALL MONUMENT, WITH DAVID PLAYING THE HARP BEFORE SAUL, A PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN HELD BY PUTTI ABOVE
40,000—60,000 GBP
LOT 73
– CHRISTIAN STÖCKLIN
GENEVA 1741 – 1795 FRANKFURT
A CHURCH INTERIOR
6,000—8,000 GBP
LOT 77
THE PROPERTY OF A PRIVATE EUROPEAN COLLECTOR
ATTRIBUTED TO FRANCESCO GUARDI
VENICE 1712 – 1793
A PAIR OF CAPRICCIO RIVER LANDSCAPES WITH FIGURES IN THE FOREGROUND
20,000—30,000 GBP
.
LOT 86
FOLLOWER OF FRANS FLORIS THE ELDER
LOT AND HIS DAUGHTERS
6,000—8,000 GBP
LOT 104
AFTER GIROLAMO FRANCESCO MARIA MAZZOLA, CALLED PARMIGIANINO
MADONNA AND CHILD WITH SAINTS MARGARET, JEROME, BENEDICT AND AN ANGEL
4,000—6,000 GB
.
.
.
LOT 145
PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION
EDWAERT COLLIER
BREDA ACTIVE BEFORE 1663 – 1708 LEIDEN (?)
A VANITAS STILL LIFE WITH A SKULL SURMOUNTING A CROWN, BOOKS, SCROLLS, AN HOUR-GLASS, A VIOLIN AND OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, ALL RESTING UPON A STONE LEDGE
10,000—15,000 GBP
.
LOT 149
THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
FOLLOWER OF ANTOINE MONNOYER
A STILL LIFE WITH CARNATIONS, ROSES AND MORNING GLORY IN A BASKET OVER A STONE LEDGE, BESIDE GRAPES, PLUMS AND AN APPLE
6,000—8,000 GBP
.
LOT 150
DUTCH SCHOOL, CIRCA 1800
A STILL LIFE OF ROSES, PEONIES, TULIPS, MORNING GLORY AND OTHER FLOWERS IN A VASE ON A STONE LEDGE, TOGETHER WITH A PARROT PERCHED ON A BRANCH
5,000—7,000 GBP
.
.
LOT 154
FOLLOWER OF DIRCK HALS
AN INTERIOR WITH CAVALIERS PLAYING MUSIC
5,000—7,000 GBP
-
LOT 164
CORNELIS VAN POELENBURGH
UTRECHT 1594/95 – 1667
THE CALLING OF ANDREW AND PETER
6,000—8,000 GBP
.
LOT 169
DUTCH SCHOOL, 18TH CENTURY
A CHURCH INTERIOR WITH A MAN KNEELING AT PRAYER IN THE FOREGROUND
6,000—8,000 GBP
.
LOT 170
FOLLOWER OF GASPARD DUGHET, CALLED GASPARD POUSSIN
A CAPRICCIO RIVER LANDSCAPE WITH TRAVELLERS IN THE FOREGROUND AND A FORTIFIED TOWN BEYOND;
A MOUNTAINOUS WOODED RIVER LANDSCAPE WITH TRAVELLERS ON A PATH IN THE FOREGROUND
7,000—9,000 GBP
.
LOT 178
FRANCESCO DE MURA
NAPLES 1696 – 1782
THE PENITENT MAGDALEN
6,000—8,000 GBP
.
LOT 181
– ANTONIO BELLUCCI
VENICE 1654 – 1726 PIEVE DI SOLIGNO
STUDY FOR THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS
6,000—8,000 GBP
LOT 186
FOLLOWER OF DOMENICO FEDELI, CALLED IL MAGGIOTTO
A YOUNG BOY PLAYING A FLUTE
4,000—6,000 GBP
LOT 198
JACOB HUYSMANS
ANTWERP CIRCA 1630-1696 LONDON
PORTRAIT OF COLONEL JOHN RUMSEY (FL.1660-1686), THREE-QUARTER LENGTH, WEARING ARMOUR, STANDING BEFORE A LANDSCAPE
5,000—7,000 GBP
LOT 237
AFTER ANTHONY VAN DYCK
THE DRUNKEN SILENUS
2,000—3,000 GBP
.
