2017 – Winter Catalogue
Winter Catalogue 2017
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The ability to proudly present you my gallery Jan Muller Antiques at BRAFA is always a professional highlight for me. Each year, I carefully study and select paintings and sculptures that appeal by their inherent, outstanding quality and intriguing story. It is gratifying for me to present them to you at this prestigious art fair for the very first time. I am thrilled to meet and to get to know you here (again). It is also because of you that I am passionate about Old Masters and that I am constantly amazed by the footprint art leaves behind. A fine example of this is the story about the discovery of a unique portrait of a ship on a painting created by the renowned marine painter Abraham Storck (1644-1708), which I presented at BRAFA last year: When I discovered the painting near the city of Cologne in Germany, I was immediately astonished by its excellent quality and radiant beauty. In addition, I noticed the signature of one of the greatest marine painters of the Netherlands, Abraham Storck. At that time I did not know the meaning of how this group of naval ships with their large flagship was represented. When I exhibited the work at BRAFA, the painting was tremendously popular, but it did not find a buyer. I did not know, however, that it attracted the attention of Mr. Wibo Boswijk, a Frisian ‘sneuper’ or researcher who is a member of the Association of Friends of the Maritime Museum of Friesland in the Netherlands. In February I got a phone call of Mr. Meindert Seffinga, a very pleasant man who appeared to be the director of the Maritime Museum of Friesland. He showed great interest in the painting and besides his demand for a high resolution image, he wanted to know if it was still available for sale. A second phone call followed quickly and this time Mr. Seffinga asked me specific questions about different painted details of the large flagship on the work. My answers pleased him so much that he decided to travel to Ghent in order to see the painting in person.
Once he arrived at my gallery, he could no longer conceal his excitement. The large flagship appeared to be the ‘Groot Frisia’. This flagship was under command of none other than Tjerk Hiddes de Vries, the Admiral of the Frisian fleet and the most legendary hero of the sea Frisia had ever known. Before the painting could be acquired by the Maritime Museum, however, Mr. Seffinga had to search for funds. Thanks to the The OttemaKingma Foundation, the sale of the painting happened relatively quickly. The Foundation has very kindly loaned the work to the Maritime Museum of Friesland where it currently is exhibited, and hopefully will be for many years to come. This story is not only important for the history and the people of Frisia, it is significant for me as well. It makes me very proud to see ‘my painting’ hanging in a prominent place at the Museum. I am only one piece of the puzzle in the story of the discovery of this painting by Storck, however, without me the painting would not have found its current and most appropriate home at the Maritime Museum of Friesland. Moreover, I also feel emotionally attached to the painting as the roots of my lovely wife lie in Frisia. The name of her maternal grandmother was Wopkje de Vriesde Boer. Who knows if she was a descendant of Tjerk Hiddes de Vries, the commander of the ‘Groot Frisia’? Anyhow, she would have been very proud to see that the husband of her granddaughter was part of a significant milestone within the Frisian museum history. This painting highlighted to us that discoveries in art are still possible. It has also encouraged me to conduct even more thorough research on the pieces of art I offer to you. I hope that you enjoy my 2017 selection! Jan Muller – Degree in art history at the university of Ghent / third generation antique arts dealers. 3
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Old Master Paintings
work
w|h
93 x 64 cm
Oil on panel Signed with monogram DWVI Reverse: ANO DNI 1531 DECEMBER 4 Central panel: AN. DNI. 1531 D WV I
Dirk Jacobsz. 1487/before 1497 – 1567
Nativity triptych
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This captivating early Renaissance triptych will offer art-lovers and connoisseurs not only endless visual joy, it also challenges them into an ongoing debate with regard to its origin, subject and creator(s). The stunning painting encloses the monogram ‘D WV I’ on the central panel, which reveals that it was created by the Amsterdam painter Dirk Jacobsz. (1487/before 1497-1567). Dirk’s surname Jacobsz. refers to the famous Amsterdam painter Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen also called Jacob War (c.1475-1533). He was the painter’s father and teacher. Jacobsz.’ monogram is also derived by the one his father signed with and it can be read as follows: D (Dirk) WV (War Van Amsterdam) I (Jacobszoon). The 'W' is inverted and this is something that can be detected in the monogram of Jacob War as well. This unique inverted 'W' can be interpreted as the private label of the War painters. The triptych here presented dates from the same period as the portrait of Pompeius Occo. The painting is dated 1531 on the central panel (architecture) as well as on the reverse side. The portraits of the donors, who gaze with self-consciousness towards the spectator, are immediately very reminiscent to the painting style of Jacobsz. (See e.g. Portrait of his parentsArt Museum Toledo, Portrait of a man- Courtauld Art Gallery London, Portrait a woman- Art Museum Besançon) Although this triptych finds its origin within the traditional Gothic style of the 15th century, themed with the Nativity and probably intended to be a private devotional piece, the donors are represented in a humanistic way. The shape of the triptych,
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including the sober frame (still original), refers to Moses’ tablets of stone and on the reverse side of the shutters the Ten Commandments are written. The identity of the donors is not yet known, although we suspect they are well-to-do catholic Amsterdam merchants like the other clients of Dirk Jacobsz. The son behind the male donor even as the daughters behind the female donor were probably already deceased at the time their portrait was painted. This clarifies their position in comparison to the other children visualised in the painting. With this information in mind, it is probably only a matter of time before the identity of this family will be detected. The Amsterdam archives still contain a lot of information on 16th century merchant families. Art historian Prof. Dr. Daantje Meuwissen (Rijksuniversiteit Amsterdam), who is the leading expert on Jacobsz.’ father Van Oostsanen and the War painters, is currently studying this matter together with her team. Although the signature is placed on the central panel, experts believe that another skilful artist, probably a very high ranked assistant from the studio of Jacobsz. (his elder brother?) or an established master, has collaborated on the central piece. This method of practice was not uncommon. Two other triptychs firmly attributed to Jacobsz. are believed to be realised in cooperation with the painter Pieter Coecke van Aelst (1502-1550). It leaves no doubt, however, that the shutters and the central panel were created during the same time span. The landscape in the background of both the shutters and the central panel gives
proof of that. The search for this painter is also in very good hands with the expert team of the Rijksuniversiteit Amsterdam. The triptych might even be considered as a key work within the search after the (studio) practices of Dirk Jacobszoon. The upcoming year will certainly bring more exciting information on this exquisite painting, something art-lovers, collectors and connoisseurs can only look forward to.
provenance
- Private collection Schilde, Belgium - Galerie Devoldère, Paris-Auctioned at Laurin Paris 29.06.1994 lot. no. 1. literature
J. Six, 'Dirk Jacobsz. Twee Amsterdamsche Schutterstukken te St. Petersburg', Oud-Holland 13 (1895) p. 91-111 B. Haak, 'Het portret van Pompejus Occo door Dirck Jacobsz', Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum 6 (1958), p. 27-37 F. Van Dam, ‘Bewogen en bewegend. Portretschilders in en uit de Nederlanden in de zestiende eeuw’, in Renaissance-portretten uit de Lage Landen (ed. T. Holger-Borchert & K. Jonckheere)’, 2015, p. 70-79.
Portrait of banker Pompeius Occo, c. 1531, oil on panel Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, inv. no. SK-A-3924
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Louis de Caullery Cambrai 1555 – 1622 Antwerp
The entrance of a pope in Rome
w|h
72,5 x 52,5 cm work
Oil on panel
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Jacob Fransz van der Merck 1610 Saint-Gravendeel – 1644 Leyden
Portrait of a young man in a grey jacket
w|h
58,5 x 69 cm work
Oil on panel Signed and dated lower right 1642
Louis de Caullery
Cambrai 1555 – 1622 Antwerp
The old ruines of Rome
w|h
66 x 50 cm work
Oil on copper Marked in the back with hand mark and panel mark by Peter Staes 'anno 1604'
w|h
Joseph van Bredael Antwerp 1688 – 1739 Paris
An animated landscape with travellers, a town beyond
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44 x 33,5 cm work
Oil on copper Signed with monogram left below Certificate by Dr. Klaus Ertz 2016
Joseph van Bredael Antwerp 1688 – 1739 Paris
An animated village view, a river in between
w|h
40 x 32,5 cm work
Oil on panel Signed with monogram left below
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Attributed to
Abraham Storck
w| h 79 x 55 cm work Oil on canvas Signed with monogram A.S. lower left on the rowing boat
Amsterdam 1644 – 1708 Amsterdam
Ships on the ‘IJ’, a vue of Amsterdam beyond
Oost-Indisch Zeemagazijn
Admiraliteitswerf
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Oosterkerk Zuiderkerk
Montelbaanstoren Stadhuis op de Dam
Ronde Lutherse Kerk
Noorderkerk
Abraham Van Beyeren Den Hague 1620 ‑ 1690 Alkmaar
Still-life with a roemer, a wineglass Venetian style, bread, oysters and a pomegranate on a silver plate
w| h 57 x 68,5 cm work Oil on panel Signed with monogram AB central right RKD number 116688
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Antwerp, 17th century
Flemisch cabinet on stand w|h|D
84 x 75 x 39 cm 155 height with table work
Painting on panel depicting scenes of the life of Christ
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David Vinckeboons Mechelen 1576 – 1632 Amsterdam
An extensive mountainous landscape, with the return from the kermesse
w|h
32,7 x 56,5 cm work
Oil on oak panel provenance
- Planck von Planckburg, Austria. - Wilhelm Löwenfeld (1827-1901), Munich; Lepke, Berlin, 6 February 1906, lot 55, as Pieter Breughel the Elder. - With Robert Finck, Brussels, by 1961, where required by the present owners.
literature
- K. Goossens, 'Nog meer over David Vinckboons' - Jaarboek van het Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten te Antwerpen, 1966, p. 104. - K. Goossens, second edition, Soest, 1977, p. 104, dating this work to circa 1604. R. Klessmann (ed.) - Herzog Anton-Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig. Die holländischen Gemalde: Kritisches Verzeichnis, Brunswick, 1983, under no. 91.
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Joos Van Cleve, alias van der Beke 1485/90 ‑ 1540
Portrait of a man wearing a bonnet
w|h
29 x 36 cm work
Oil on panel circa 1538 provenance
- Private Collection - Sale Galerie Charpentier, Paris, Me Rheims, 2.12.1955, n° 19 (as Joos van Cleve) - Sale Collection S.E. mr. l’Ambassadeur - Galerie van Diemen & Co, Berlin
Max J. Friedländer
literature
M. J. Friedländer, Early Netherlandish Painting, Leiden, 1972, Vol. IX, p. 70, n°104, pl. 11. J. O. Hand, Joos van Cleve: The Complete Paintings, New Haven and London, Yale University Press, 2004. M. Leeflang, Joos van Cleve. A sixteenthCentury Antwerp Artist and his workshop, Turnhout, Brepols Publishers, 2015. Dr. M. Martens, university of Gent, technical study 2017.
It was the legendary art historian and connoisseur Max Jakob Friedländer (1867-1958) who first noticed this portrait of a man in the much renowned Berlin gallery Van Diemen & Co in 1929. He immediately associated it with the master painter Joos van Cleve. Today, different leading experts can only agree with Friedlander’s attribution. The portrait is indeed painted very finely with thin layers of glaze on top of each other. This created shadows in order to provide depth. It is clear that the painter used his brush to sculpt the skin of the sitter’s face. This delicate technique, which is characteristic of Van Cleve, made it look almost translucent. Joos Van Cleve most probably originated from a village called Cleves in Westphalia in Germany. There he must have been born around 1485. However, it was the city of Antwerp as centre of the arts that gave him his platform to become one of the leading painters in Western Europe. Before Van Cleve became a master in the Antwerp painter’s Guild of Saint Luke in 1511, he worked together with master painter Jan Joest (c. 1450/60-1519) in Kalkar. There he assisted with the production of the panels of the high altar for the Nikolaikirche. In one of the panels, The Raising of Lazarus, Van Cleve painted his own portrait. In Antwerp, Van Cleve was no less than three times one of the deans of the Guild. This means that he was valued and respected by his colleagues. He ran a large workshop with at least five assistants. Among them were Claes van Brugge and Joost Diericksone. Joos van Cleve’s oeuvre contains altar pieces, different religious/devotional pieces like The Madonna and Child and The Infants Christ and Saint John the Baptist embracing often co-produced by his skilled assistants and portraits. His painting style was based on the requirements of his commissioners: sometimes influenced by the Flemish Primitives (a.o. Rogier Van der Weyden and Gerard David), sometimes by the Italian Renaissance painters (a.o. and mostly by Leonardo da Vinci by whose work he became acquainted with the ‘sfumato’ technique). His clientele was international and wealthy with German, English, French, Italian and Netherlandish roots. Though their origins were diverse, they all desired the same: top quality paintings. As Van Cleve did not disappoint and was able to create a recognisable and own style notwithstanding the specific style demands of his clients, his reputation grew. Continuously, between 1529 and 1535, his portraits were much desired by (the courtiers of) the French King, François I. It is unsure whether Van Cleve travelled to France to produce their portraits. Art dealer Joris Vezeleer travelled several times back and forth between France and Antwerp as the intermediary of Van Cleve. Anyhow, that Van Cleve’s portrait skills attracted the interest of the French court, says much about the premium quality he delivered.
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The portrait here presented dates from around 1538 and is a late work of the master, as his second wife was listed as a widow in the spring of 1541. The identity of the sitter is unknown, however, he probably had ties with the metropole of Antwerp. The bearded man is pictured in a frame against a green background. He is wearing a bonnet on his head and is dressed in a black jerkin with a ruffled edge white shirt underneath. Only the expensive, lined fur of his gown is visible. More than 450 years later after his sitting, he still gazes full of self-consciousness towards us, the spectator.
J. van Cleve, King Franรงois I of France (oldest known version), oil on panel, Philadelphia Museum of Art.
X-Ray scan of the portrait.
Joos van Cleve self portrait, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
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Infrared scan of the portrait.
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Antwerp Mannerist C. 1515-1530
Triptych / Madonna and the Blessing child / Saint John the Baptist / Saint Catherine
provenance
Private collection Italy literature
A. J. De Bisthoven & D. De Vos, De Vlaamse Primitieven, Groeningemuseum Brugge 1, 1981. D. De Vos, Rogier van der Weyden. Het volledige oeuvre, Mercatorfonds, Antwerpen, 1999. M. Martens & P. Van den Brink, Extravagant! Een kwarteeuw Antwerpse schilderkunst herontdekt 1500-1530, 2005. L. Campbell & J. van der Stock, Rogier van der Weyden 1400-1464. De passie van de meester, 2009. D. Ewing, Jan de Beer, Gothic Renewal in Renaissance Antwerp, 2016.
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w|h
32,7 x 56,5 cm work
Oil on panel
This portable triptych represents the Virgin Mary seated on an elaborated throne while holding the Christ-Child. Two floating angels are carrying her crown. On the left wing of this altarpiece, St. John the Baptist is painted. St. Catherine is placed on the right shutter. The painting, meant as a devotional piece to place in the house of the commissioner, is made between 1515 and 1530. The composition with the Madonna, dressed in a bright madder root (Rubia Tinctorum) red cloak, is compiled from different older models made by Flemish Primitives. The painting style of the triptych, especially visible in the representation of the Saints on the wings, is definitely aligned to the style of the Antwerp Mannerists. Antwerp Mannerists loved vivid colours, dynamism, complex architecture and postures, gestures and expression. The Saints on this triptych, John and Catherine, have an elongated and elegant posture. The ornaments of the throne seem to have been fantasised. However, the style is not produced by the most flamboyant and horror vacui suffering Antwerp Mannerist. On one hand, it still seems to lean on the work of the Brussels masters who were active at the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century like the Master of St. Gudule and the Master of Saint-Barbara. The fact that the composition is close to the Madonna paintings attributed to the Brussels Master of the Embroidered Foliage, might indicate a Brussels origin of the painter. Moreover it is known that many Brussels painters surely moved to Antwerp during that period and worked in Antwerp Mannerist style. On the other hand, a Bruges’ origin cannot be excluded either. The golden background, sobriety of the composition and the painter's knowledge of the art of the
Flemish Primitives might refer into the direction of someone who was trained or worked within the circle of Gerard David. Thereby one can think of the so-called Master of Hoogstraten. Furthermore, the figures on the wings of the triptych can be compared to those made by Antwerp mannerists like Pseudo Blesius and Jan de Beer. Unfortunately, the hand of the painter of the triptych could not be detected in their work. Thus, the identity of this artist remains unknown. Despite thorough research by specialists Peter Van den Brink, Maximiliaan Martens and Annick Born, the majority of Antwerp mannerist painters are still unidentified. It is known that they worked together intensively and exchanged models. This makes it difficult to walk the path of secure attributions. Whoever the painter of this triptych was, it is certain that he was an experienced master with a proficient studio who knew the ropes. This becomes clear by analysing the infrared reflectography image made of the three panels of triptych. The image of the central panel reveals that the painter used a fixed model, not only to save time, but also to get the best results. The little dots on Mary’s silhouette tell that the painter used the technique of punching or ‘ponsing’. In short, he thus used a drawing in which small holes were pinched as a model. This drawing, together with an intermediate sheet, was put on the prepared panel and continuously rubbed with a small bag of charcoal. The dots now visible through the IRR, are the result of this technique. For the wings of the triptych, the painter also used this transfer technique. The dots are less visible though, as the painter connected them with charcoal in order to set out the silhouettes more clearly.
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w|h
Joos van Craesbeeck Neerlinter, ca. 1605/1606 – ca. 1660
The anise drinker
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19 x 25 cm work
Oil on panel We thank Dr. Caroline de Clippel for the confirmation of this attribution after inspection of the original.
Sebastiaen Vrancx Antwerp 1573 – 1647
The month November
w|h
37 x 26 cm work
Oil on panel Inscribed the month of November on the back
Joost Cornelisz Droogsloot Utrecht 1586 – 1666 Utrecht
Looting the village
w|h
103 x 68 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed and dated central left 1638
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Théobald Michau Tournai 1676 – 1765 Antwerp
The departure
w|h
85 x 59 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower left
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Attributed to
Jan Van den Hecke the Elder Antwerp 1671 – circa 1710
An animated village view, a river in front
w|h
34,5 x 26 cm work
Oil on copper
Cristoforo Munari Reggio Emilia 1667 – 1720 Pisa
Still life with citrus fruits in a pewter dish and chinese porcelain
w|h
48 x 62 cm work
Oil on canvas literature
For this artist cf. F. Baldassari (ed.): Cristoforo Munari. Un maestro della natura morta, 1999.
We thank Dr. F. Baldassari for the confirmation of the attribution
Christoffel Van Den Berghe active in Middelburg between 1617 – 1642
Company playing music in a park near a castle
Attributed to
Christoffel Van Den Berghe
active in Middelburg between 1617 – 1642
Travellers preparing for departure
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w|h
6 x 8 cm work
Oil on copper
w|h
22,5 x 15 cm work
Oil on copper
Christoffel Van Den Berghe active in Middelburg between 1617 – 1642
A landscape with windmills and peasants on their way to the market
w|h
24,5 x 17,5 cm work
Oil on copper Signed on the plank lower left
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Jan Mortel Leyden 1652 – 1719
Fruits and insects on a table ledge
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work w|h
37 x 43 cm
Oil on panel Signed and dated 1715 central below
Alexander Coosemans Antwerp 1625 – 1689 Antwerp
Peaches, grapes, a pomegranate and other fruit with a walnut, oysters and a façon-de-venise wine-glass on a draped wooden ledge
w|h
59,5 x 48 cm work
Oil on canvas RKD nr. 16431
provenance
Property from a private Belgian collection Acquired by a private collector, c. 1990, and by descent to the present owner We are grateful to Fred Meijer of the RKD, The Hague, for suggesting the present attribution on the basis of firsthand inspection.
Attributed to
Mattheus Molanus Middelburg 1590 – 1645 Antwerp
The arrival in the village
w|h
18,5 x 10 cm work
Oil on copper provenance
Collection Docteur Max Tassel
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Attributed to
Balthasar Courtois
w|h
13 x 8,7 cm
Antwerp before 1607 – after 1641
work
An extensive hilly landscape with carriages and peasants on a sandy path
Oil on copper
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The only other known Balthasar Courtois 16,6 x 17,9 cm, painted on silver. signed and dated BvG 1614. Private collection Holland. RKD 204477. The tondo on the far left was sold last year by Jan Muller as attributed to Courtois.
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Jan van Kessel the Elder Antwerp 1626 – 1679 Antwerp
A still-life of peaches, plums, grapes and a lemon, with a crab, a lobster, and a glass roemer, on a partly draped table
w|h
51 x 33 cm work
Oil on panel Signed lower left and dated 1653 provenance
- Sale Amsterdam, A Mak, 1918, lot 266, for 1800 guildens - Sale New York, 1943, lot 45 - Collection New York, Mrs. James W. Bell
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Floris van Schooten
w|h
83,5 x 51 cm
c. 1590 – after 1655 Haarlem
work
Still Life with Sweetmeat, Bread, Nuts, and Vessels
Oil on panel Monogrammed on the tin plate: FvS literature
Robert Jones Fine Art. – 1992 TEFAF Maastricht. – Private collection, Belgium.
This work shows a large pie, white bread and biscuits, various types of cheese, olives, and nuts accompanied by wine and beer. In the Netherlands, these still life depictions of laden tables were known as “banketje”. The motif originated in Antwerp and was popularised in Haarlem by artists such as Floris van Dijck, Pieter Claesz., Nikolaes Gillis, and Floris van Schooten. The table is depicted as if seen slightly from above, in order to better present the various dishes. The foods we see are the kinds of things that only the wealthy could afford, including the wine, white bread, and cheeses. The exclusive nature of the depiction
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continues in the flatware upon which the foods are presented: Porcelain, pewter beakers, pewter plates, and finely worked cutlery were the privilege of a wealthy few. Painters of still lifes such as this proved their skill in the illusionistic depiction of the various foods and vessels: The materiality of the pewter beakers, the surface textures of the butter and cheese, and the reflections on the glasses and plates. This “banketje” is characterised by its balanced composition, with the large pie placed in the centre of the table and the other plates arranged harmoniously around it, punctuated by the vertical accents of the cups and glasses.
w|h
38,7 x 56 cm work
Oil on copper Signed lower right D O Ffranck IN et f. we kindly thank Dr. Ursula Harting for confirming the attribution
Frans Francken II Antwerpen, 1581 – aldaar, 6 mei 1642
Ahasuerus and Haman at the Banquet of Esther
exhibition
Sint-Niklaas, ‘about the pleasures of the senses in painting’ 2012 Published in the exhibition catalogue, edited by A. de Ghent, page 43 with colour photograph
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Dutch School, 17th century
A portrait of Itie Albaerts dated 1655
w|h
48,5 x 73,5 cm work
Oil on panel
Dutch School, 17th century
Children's games
exhibition w|h
42 x 65 cm work
Oil on panel
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Het kind in de Noord-Nederlandse kunst, Singer Memorial Foundation, Laren (Gooi) provenance
Collectie Frederik Th. Roeters van Lennep, La Tour -de Peilz.
Joost de Momper II Antwerp 1564 – 1635 Antwerp
Wide mountainous landscape
w|h
ø 38 cm work
Oil on panel provenance
- Art dealer Rafael Valls Ltd, London, Tefaf 2001 - David Koetser, Zurich - RKD nr. 54889
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South-Netherlandish School, 16th century
Saint Hubert and the stag in a landscape
w|h
70,5 x 51,5 cm work
Oil on panel
provenance
with Paul Drey Gallery, New York (as Jan de Beer) by 1941; There purchased by Murray G. Ballantyne, Montreal, 28 September 1950; Thence by descent to the present owner. exhibitions
Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins University, Landscape Painting from Patinir to Hubert Robert, 17 November - 7 December 1941, cat. no. 6 (as Jan de Beer, Landscape with St. Eustache); Baltimore, The Baltimore Museum of Art, Themes and Variations in Painting and Sculpture, 15 April - 23 May 1948, cat. no. 97 (as Jan de Beer); Montreal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Six Centuries of Landscape, 7 March - 13 April 1952, cat. no. 12 (as Joachim Patinir); Montreal, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Canada Collects: European Painting, 19 January - 21 February 1960, cat. no. 157 (as Joachim Patinir). Thence by descent to the present owner. literature
When acquired from Paul Drey Gallery in New York in 1950, this painting was ascribed to Jan de Beer on the basis of a verbal attribution made earlier by Max J. Friedländer. However, Dr. Friedländer subsequently changed his mind and there is an old photo-certificate from him, dated 10 November 1950, re-attributing this work to Joachim Patinir.
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Jan Breughel the Elder Brussels 1568 – 1625 Antwerp
Landscape with the Flight into Egypt
w|h
literature
This painting was examined and is approved by Klaus Ertz. K. Ertz, Jan Brueghel der Altere. Die Gemälde Band I-IV, 2008. A.T. Woollett & A. van Suchtelen, Rubens & Breughel: A Working Friendship, 2006
According to the prominent Jan Breughel specialist, art historian Klaus Ertz, the small-scaled landscape painting with the Flight into Egypt here presented must be situated within the context of Breughel’s Italian journey/stay. The medium of the painting, metal, as well as the size of the painting refers into this direction. Ertz considers the painting as one of the earliest landscapes by the master’s hand and suspects that it was created around 1592. The early landscapes by Breughel, which are categorised as his wooded landscape genre, are characterised by the placement of the figures in the margins of a forest. This is exactly the case with the Holy Family in this painting. In these wooded landscapes, Brueghel commenced to play with light and shadow, something that can be noticed in this
10,4 x 13,5 cm work
Oil on tin Signed middle below Breugel
painting as well. In the background, a panoramic view in green and blue tones is painted, an element that refers to Joachim Patinir’s ‘world-landscape’. Furthermore, the landscape is crossed by a rural road which provides depth into the painting. The rendering of the landscape and more specifically the trees is the primary subject of the painting. The village in the background shows no traces of antique elements, which suspects that the painting even might have been made short before Breughel’s arrival in Italy. Anyhow, it is sure that this miniaturized work is one of the earliest known landscape paintings made by one of the greatest Flemish masters in art history. It is no surprise that the third generation of Brueghels took up his legacy deep into the 18th century.
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Erasmus I De Bie Antwerp 1629 – 1675 Antwerp
The old ox market of Antwerp
w|h
160 x 110 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower left with traces of signature
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William James active in London circa 1754 – 1771
A view on Venice, the Santa Maria della Salute on the right side
w|h
99 x 45 cm work
Oil on canvas
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Tobias Verhaecht Antwerp 1561 – 1631 Antwerp
Animated mountanous landscape with travellers, boats, ...
w|h
195 x 122 cm work
Oil on canvas provenance
- Collection Paul Marcus, Paris, until 1957 - Kunstsalon Frantze-Schentz, MĂźnchen 2013 literature
RKD
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Johannes Amandus Wink Eichstädt 1748 – 1817 München
A still-life with fruits, cavias, a parrot and dead birds
w|h
26 x 20 cm work
Oil on copper
w|h
37 x 27,5 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower left
provenance
- Sale from the Sedelmeyer collection, Paris - Galerie Sedelmeyer (chevalier) 3,4 and 5 June 1907. Sold as lot 62 for 1550 Francs to Sir Gombault.
David Teniers the Younger Antwerp 1610 – 1690 Brussels A difficult passage
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Simon de Vos & Jan van Kessel 1603 Antwerp – 1676 Antwerp & 1626 Antwerp – 1679 Antwerp
w|h
130 x 105 cm work
Oil on copper circa 1634/1635 Simon de Vos is responsible for the general concept of this painting. All the details were made by Jan van Kessel: the still life, fruits, animals, fish, shells and objects. This sort of joint venture was common practice in the workshop of Simon De Vos around 1635-40. The studio of De Vos worked on copper for export to Nueva Espagne (along Seville, from Cadiz to Veracruz the paintings arrived in Mexico). Commissioned by entrepreneurs as Forchondt and Immerseel specific demands were made in relation to the export price. The size of the copper, the presence of extra details, the number of figures… all this was to be negotiated.
Sculptures
The feast of the gods
Report by Dr. Jan De Maere present, December 22, 2016
43
w|h
36 x 24,5 cm Sculpted in oak with traces of polychrome layers Brabant, Antwerp Circa 1500-1510
Group of Sainte Marie-Jacobé teaching her children to read
44
literature
A. Huysmans, La sculpture des Pays-Bas méridionaux et de la Principauté de Liège de XVe et XVIe siècles, Bruxelles, 2000. pp.96-99. nr 38
German, circa 1500
A pair of standing angels w|h
34 x 89 cm Sculpted in wood
45
German, probably Augsburg, late 15th century
Christ as gardener
w|h
25 x 38 cm Sculpted in limewood provenance
München, September 1927 with Böhler
Alejo de Vahia Spanish school, active period 1473 – 1508
The Apostle Santiago
46
This sculpture represents the figure of the Apostle Santiago, patron saint of Spain. It was designed to follow the usual iconography, with a pilgrim's staff, a wallet, a book in his hand, covered by a cloak and a pilgrim's cap. Here stands a shell, called Compostela, an emblem that identifies the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, which according to history is where the tomb of the Apostle Santiago is situated. Despite the understandable small losses, the polychromy is in quite good condition. It highlights the decorative works of picketing and sgraffito, as well as the inscription on the bottom of the tunic which identifies the figure of Santiago. The carving is of great quality and, due to the stylistic features that it has, it can be linked to the artist Alejo de Vahia (one of the most important late-Gothic sculptors who were active in Castile between the end of the XV century and beginning of the sixteenth century, and of which nothing was known until a few decades ago). He conducted his sculptural activity in the region of Tierra de campos, an area of Spain located in the community of Castile and Leon that extends to the provinces of Palencia, Valladolid, Zamora and Leon. Although the precise date of his birth and his specific place of origin are unknown, he is likely to have come
h
69 cm work
Polychrome wood
from a region of northern Europe near the border between Holland, North-East Belgium and Germany. He moved to Spain on an undetermined date. The data we have, both documentary and stylistic, provide an incomplete biographical time frame, which places his period of activity between 1473-1508. The first piece of work that was assigned to him in Spain is the Dormition of the Virgin from the Cathedral of Valencia (ca. 1473-1475), which seems to have arrived from his native country. Towards 1485 he went to Paredes de Nava and collaborated with Pedro de Berruguete on the altarpiece for the church of Santa Eulalia, where he created the Embrace before the Golden door. Two years later he moved to Valladolid to enhance his expert style in the Colegio de Santa Cruz. From then on he resided in Becerril de Campos where he centralised all of his duties. Towards the year 1500 his style evolved, but maintained his signature characteristics. He moved from the severity and solemnity of his early works to a gradual positivity of his figures with more rounded, natural characteristics and more amiable traits. The Assumption of the Virgin from the church of Fuentes de Nava (Palencia), the Piedad of the Francisco Godia Foundation (Barcelona), and the Crucified of the Tides Museum (also from the City of Barcelona) all belong to this period. Documentary evidence of the artist’s first orders was not found until 1505. These were for the sculptures of the Magdalena and Saint John the Baptist for the greater altarpiece of the Cathedral of Palencia, which have unique characteristics that historians have used to trace their biography and sculptural style. The catalogue of his work is very extensive, and has been increasing over time by analyzing a series of sculptures that share common features characterised by a very personal style that highlights the connection to this unique sculptor. His date of death is around 1508, the year which has the last documentary reference of Alejo de Vahía. From a formal point of view, the work in question is consistent with the features and constant characteristics of the style of Alejo de Vahía. This Santiago shares many patterns which are visible when compared with his extensive number of sculptures. The anatomy is schematized in the treatment of figures, as if they had used fixed and basic geometric parameters to determine a great similarity between sculptures. They usually have a certain characteristic stiffness that is counteracted by the abundance of clothing folds, giving volume to the figures. Some of the most identifiable elements are the characteristic faces and the treatment of hair which is repeated in the figures with fixed styles and few variants. Thus we see this, for example, in several of his works in Becerril de Campos, which are very close to Santiago, as are God the Father and Saint Luke. This is also reflected in the numerous saints that he produced, such as the Saint John the Baptist of the Tides Museum (that the professor Yarza identified with the one of the cathedral of Palencia) or one of the Casacuberta Collection. The male figures of the Piety group of the Godia Foundation of Barcelona and the Lamentation of the Meadows Museum of Dallas are also very similar. literature
Ara Gil, Clementina Julia: Around the sculptor Alejo de Vahía (1490-1510), University of Valladolid, Valladolid, 1974. Yarza Luaces, Joaquín Report made by dr. Alvaro Pascual Chenel, 2017
47
Francisco Salzillo Spanish school, Murcia, 1707 – 1783
Saint John Baptist
Francisco Salzillo was born in Murcia in 1707. He learned the trade from his father, an Italian sculptor who moved to the city to work with Nicolás de Bussy. After the death of his father in 1727, Francisco was put in charge in order to run the family sculpture workshop. Along with Francisco, two of his brothers, José Antonio and Patricio, also worked there. They were given responsibility for different processes regarding carving and polychrome images. Francisco Salzillo's style was not only the result of a strong paternal heritage, but was also enriched by his knowledge of Neapolitan sculpture (gained through the great works that went to Murcia in previous years; and from the influence of the Marseilles sculptor Antonio Dupar who settled in the city between 1718 and 1730 and brought with him a delicate Rococo style). Bringing together all these influences, Salzillo created a highly elegant and expressive personal style of careful polychromy and magnificent anatomy which reflected how he observed nature. The Murcian artist kept the forms of the Spanish baroque sculpture alive with his works, which in the final years tended towards a more relaxed but still dynamic Rococo style. When he first started, Salzillo dedicated himself to finishing some of the works that his father had left unfinished such as the Saint Agnes from the church of Santo Domingo in Murcia. But little by little his sculptures took on their own personality and he began to receive commissions from other places like Cartagena, Almería, Albacete, Alicante, etc. The reputation of his art and fame even reached the Court, in Madrid, where the Count Floridablanca invited him to move. Nevertheless, the artist hardly left his hometown. The theme of Salzillo's work was exclusively religious, with particular emphasis on devotional sculptures (both for churches and convents as well as for private individuals) and processional steps such as the Murcian Prayer in the Garden and the Arrest on Good Friday. His best work is considered ‘the Bethlehem’. This was created in 1776 and reflects the tradition of the Neapolitan nativity scenes and bears his name in the Murcian museum. On this piece he worked with a multitude of materials such as baked clay, wood and cardboard, etc. For this group he created up to 556 figures that reflect a wide variety of possible gestures, attitudes, types and behaviors; thus demonstrating his profound knowledge of the craft and his naturalistic observation of the human being.
48
The Saint John the Baptist figure here has some stylistic and technical characteristics that link it to the Murcian master. It is a high quality carving with attitudes and gestures that are elegant and delicate. In addition to the authentic anatomy and naturalness of the folds, the face is charged with expressiveness. We can compare this work with other male figures that the sculptor producted like those that appear in his passions of the Passion; The Saint Joseph in the Holy Family of the Church of Santiago in Orihula (Murcia), and the St. Joseph in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. literature
Belda Navarro, Cristóbal, Francisco Salzillo, the fullness of the sculpture, Murcia, 2006. Belda Navarro, Cristóbal, Studies on Francisco Salzillo, Murcia, 2015. Morales y Marín, José Luis, The Art of Francisco Salzillo, Murcia, 1975. Ramallo Asensio, German, Francisco Salzillo sculptor 1707-1783, Madrid, 2007. Report made by dr. Alvaro Pascual Chenel, 2017
h
68 cm work
Polychrome wood
49
Malines, early 17th century
Christ Carrying the Cross, on the way to Calvary
w|h
32 x 31,5 cm Alabaster
Malines, early 17th century
An alabaster relief representing the Holy Family, the four evangelists in the corners.
w|h
15,5 x 20 cm Alabaster
French, early 15th century
European, 13/14th century
Sedes sapientiae
A group representing the Virgin and the Child
w|h
h
88 cm
28 x 69 cm Sculpted in stone
51
Dutch School, 15th century
The mocking of Christ
w|h|D
30 x 49 x 15 cm Sculpted in walnut
Flemish, 15th century
The lamentation
w|h
55 x 45 cm Sculpted in oak
52
Hispano-Flemish group, 16th century
A group representing the Adoration
w|h
62 x 76 cm Sculpted in wood provenance
Sold at Drouot 18 March 1890, la collection de Mr. Dubussy, lot 112
Circle of Tilman Heysacker, called Krayndunck active in Kรถln between 1475 and 1515
Anna teaching Maria
w|h
105 x 60 x 44 cm Sculpted in wallnut
53
Late 17th century
Bust of Grand Admiral Nikola Saraka?
w|h|D
67 x 74 x 30 cm Sculpted in marble
54
Lower-Rhine / North Netherlandish, 16th century
The Virgin holding grapes
w|h|D
59 x 119 x 45 cm Sculpted in wood with original polychrome layers
19th Century Paintings probably North-Netherlandish, 16th century
King Caspar offering frankincense to Jesus Christ
h
87 cm Sculpted in wood with original polychrome layers
55
Emile Claus Sint-Eloois-Vijve 1849 – 1924 Astene
Vent et soleil
exhibitions
- Exposition Emile Claus - Léon Herbo, tent. cat., Brussel, Cercle Artistique et Littéraire, 27 januari - 7 februari 1891, nr. 4 - Société nationale des beaux-arts. Catalogue illustré des ouvrages de peinture, sculpture et gravure exposés au Champ-de-Mars. Le 15 Mai 1891, Parijs, A. Lemercier et Cie, 1891, nr. 200 - Exposition Albert Baertsoen. Emile Claus. Constantin Meunier, tent. cat., Den Haag, Pulchri Studio, [15 - 30] november 1892, nr. 22 - Exposition Emile Claus, tent. cat., Gent, Cercle Artistique et Littéraire, 10 - 24 januari 1892, nr. 19 At the first exhibition of the painting in Brussels Emile Verhaeren qualified the painting "parmi les meilleurs numéros du catalogue"! Verhaeren considered the exhibition, which also pictured the 'IJsvogels' of the Museum of Fine Arts Ghent, as a true revelation.
56
w|h
118 x 82 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed right below and also on the reverse
Emile Claus Sint-Eloois-Vijve 1849 – 1924 Astene
Smoking Arab
PROVENANCE
- Collectie De Meyer (Melle) - Napoleon de Meyer LITERATURE / EXHIBITIONS
retrospectieve Emile Claus, provenciaal museum voor moderne kunst Retrospectieve Claus 1997, pag. 79 illustration 7
w|h
17,5 x 21,5 cm
work
Oil on canvas Signed right above and dated 1879
57
CĂŠlestin Marschouw Belgian school, 19th century
The painter at work in the inn
w|h
73 x 60 cm work
Oil on panel Signed left below and dated 1845
Basile de Loose Zele 1809 – 1885 Brussels
The classroom
w|h
83 x 70 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower right and dated 1857
58
Amédèe Rosier Meaux 1831 – 1898
Sunset on the Grand Canal, Venice
w|h
123 x 73 cm work
Signed right below Oil on canvas
Charles Euphrasie Kuwasseg Draveil 1838 – 1904 Paris
A view of Amsterdam, in the distance the new Lutherse church located near the Singel
w|h
46 x 32 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower left and dated 1873
59
Petrus van Schendel Terheyde 1806 – 1870 Brussels
A candle lit room with a young couple making out
w|h
32 x 35 cm work
Oil on panel Signed right above (to be dated circa 1836) literature
Jan de Meere, page 61 illustration 117 (a comparable painting)
60
w|h
60 x 76 cm work
Oil on panel Signed and dated 1852
Petrus van Schendel Terheyde 1806 – 1870 Brussels
The fish-market at the Groenmarkt in Den Hague
61
Henriette Ronner Amsterdam 1821 – 1909 Brussels
Three kittens with a casket and a blue ribbon
w|h
35 x 27 cm work
Oil on panel Signed and dated Henriette Ronner/94 upper right
62
Charles Van den Eycken Brussels 1859 – 1923
Happier than a prince
w|h
24 x 19 cm work
Oil on panel Signed right above 1916 provenance
Galerie Commeter. Hamburg
Playtime w|h
53 x 66 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed and inscribed provenance
Henrietta M. ('Rita') & Peter N. Heydon, Ann Arbor, Michigan
David de Noter Ghent 1825 – 1875 Brussels
Preparing the meal
w|h
68 x 85 cm work
Oil on panel Signed lower center and dated 1850
w|h
56 x 43 cm work
Oil on panel Signed left below
Albert Roosenboom & Eugéne Verboeckhoven Brussels 1845 – 1875 & Warneton 1798 – 1881 Brussels
Loading the cattle
Hermanus Koekkoek the Elder Middelburg 1815 – 1882 Haarlem
Ice-fishing
w|h
24 x 16 cm work
Oil on panel Signed lower right
65
Fraanz Richard Unterberger Innsbrßck 1837 – 1902 Neuilly-sur-Seine
Venice, view of San Giorgio Maggiore
w|h
111 x 57 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower right Also signed and inscribed on the reverse. circa 1878 - 80 literature
Letter of authenticity by Dr. Sybille Moser-Ernst.
w|h
100 x 73 cm work
Oil on canvas Signed lower left and dated ‘1864’
Eugène Verboeckhoven Warneton 1798 – 1881 Brussels
Cattle grazing a barn beyond
A goat and other animals in a hilly landscape w|h
21,5 x 24,5 cm work
Oil on panel Signed lower left and dated 1854
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Jan Muller / Arts & Antiques – 2020 Winter Catalogue
2020 – Winter Catalogue
Jan Muller / Arts & Antiques Burgstraat 24 9000 Gent, Belgium +32 (0)496 26 33 24 info@janmullerantiques.com