Sotheby's sells on 4 June 2015 an "Antwerp School, 16th century" Adam and Eve from a private collection in Germany, 139 by 107 cm and estimated at $40,000 to $60,000. For that amount, one could hope for a little more information, as one can fairly easily say a lot more about this painting and the possible artists.
I could find with some online searching 3 other versions of this painting. In the
Malmö Konstmuseum is a nice version attributed to Frans Floris I, and dated ca. 1560. It is some 143 by 112 cm (and not 14,3 by 11,2 as Wikimedia Commons mistakenly claims).
Another version, attributed to Michiel Coxie (a regular on this blog the last few weeks), can be found in the
Sydney University Museum. The only images I found were from some university publication pdf, and no dimensions were listed.
Finally, the
RKD lists a third version, attributed to Coxie (and earlier described as "manner of Frans Floris I"), also without dimensions, which was in the private collection of Dr. Franz Josef Fröhlich, Würzburg. Despite being in a German private collection, it isn't the same as the one for sale now (this one and the Malmö one have a more "decent" Eve, while the one for sale and the Sydney one only provide Adam with a fig leaf).
I don't consider the one for sale to be significantly inferior to the other versions (and the estimated price reflects this), but would be interested to know why Christie's doesn't mention or accept either of the two common attributions and simply chooses "Antwerp School" (correct, but boringly cautious). The estimate seems about right, I can't see this painting making much more, considering the prices genuine and certain Floris or Coxie paintings make.
UPDATE: not sold.
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