Wednesday 30 March 2016

Neapolitan Master or Simon Luttichuys?

Hampel, from Germany, sells on 7 April 2016 a "Neapolitan Master, 17th century" vanitas with skull and mirror, estimated at 2,000 to 4,000 Euro.

Probably the same painting, or else an identical copy, was offered by Trafalgar Galleries, from London, at some time in the past (they have existed since 1956) as by Dutch painter Simon Luttichuys though.

The painting may not be good enough to be a real Luttichuys, but the vanitas (certainly with mirrors) was in any case much more common in the Netherlands than in Neapolitan painting, so it seems more logical to attribute it to e.g. a follower of Luttichuys.

If it was by Luttichuys, it would be worth a lot more than the estimate; as a follower or style of work, the estimate is probably about right.

UPDATE: not sold.

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