A pair of interesting 17th century portraits from Bruges

Carlo Bonte, from Belgium, sells on 13 June 2018 two "17th century, unsigned" portraits, estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

The portraits are rather good, and the sitters are identified by the text on the reverse of the paintings, which seems plausible in this case (too often the text on the back promises more than the front can deliver).

The man is Abraham van Susteren, brother to Hendrik, the Bishop of Bruges. He died in 1699. His wife, Joanna Margarita de Berault de Villetart was a noble lady from a minor house who lived until 1733. From the biography of the bishop of Bruges, we learn that his parents were married in 1657, placing this portrait in the 1680s at the earliest, and 1699 at the latest of course.

However, according to the Bossche Encyclopedia (the online encyclopedia of 's Hertogenbosch, famous as the city of Hieronymus Bosch, and the origin of the Van Susteren family), Abraham was the uncle of Hendrik, the son of his elder brother Gisberto. According to this source, Abraham was already born in 1628, and married Anna de Berault de Villeterre in 1667. This would date his (and presumably her) portrait anywhere between 1667 and 1699, but he doesn't look like a man of 60 years or older, so it presumably dates to the late 1660s or to the 1670s, and may well have been painted at the time of the engagement or marriage.

More information about Abraham and Joanna Margarita can be found in an old article in "De Biekorf" from 1969, which confirms the Bossche Encyclopedia information. It adds that he came to Bruges ca. 1665, that the family of Marguerite (aka Anne or Joanna Margarita) de Berault de Villeterre objected to her marrying a commoner (even though he was a rich merchant), that his maternal grandfather died at the famous battle of Leckerbeetje (subject of many paintings by Sebastian Vrancx and others).

I haven't been able to find any information about this portrait of Van Susteren, but while searching I found out that he was responsible for the shipping of Flemish paintings to Spain, where one or two of his sons lived as representatives of his company. He worked together with Antwerp art dealer Matthijs Musson (1598-1675).

For these portraits, I looked at portrait painters active in Bruges in 1667 or a bit later. The only candidates I find from this period who has the skill displayed in these works (skills which would have been common in Antwerp or in some parts of the Northern Netherlands, but not in every city or town) were Jacob Van Oost (1603-1671) and Jacob Van Oost II (1639-1713), father and son, and Jan Baptist Herregouts (1646-1721), who only moved to Bruges in 1677 and became a Master there in 1684, and Hendrik Herregouts, his brother.

Jacob Van Oost the Elder seems a better painter than what we have here (probably the best painter in Bruges in this period, together with the more highly specialized cityscape painter Jan Baptist van Meunincxhove, who had a nice work for sale at Vanderkindere  on 29 May). The two Herregouts are probably just too late to be candidates for these works, and their style doesn't really match the more fleshy, baroque style of the portraits for sale.

Which leaves us with Jacob Van Oost the Younger. While the portrait of a man, from the Boston Museum, seems at first sight better than the one for sale, it has on closer inspection the same slightly featureless face. 

And the Boston work is the best one I could find, most paintings are less richly detailed and closer to the portraits for sale. The RKD lists for example a portrait sold in 1990 in Brussels, a work sold by Hargesheimer in 2016, and one sold at Hampel in 2011.

 

There are also some portraits of women we can compare with. These include one sold at Hagels in 1994, and a very nice portrait offered in 1984 by Chaucer Fine Arts.

Whether the two portraits really are by Jacob Van Oost II is hard to decide, his known work varies rather wildly in quality. But for anyone interested in more provincial painting in 17th century Flanders for a reasonable price, these two offer a good opportunity.

17th century "Martyrdom of a saint" is related to Simon de Vos and Frans Francken

Carlo Bonte, from Belgium, sells on 13 June 2018 a "17th century, unsigned" Martyrdom of a saint, estimated at 600 to 800 Euro.

This rather lage (55 by 72 cm) oil on copper is probably a depiction of the beheading of Saint Paul, and seems to be the work of Simon de Vos or someone from his circle. His depiction of the same story, now in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, shows many similarities, especially in the way the executioner is shown. The white horse with yellow decoration is also a typical De Vos element.

While the composition reminds me most of Simn de Vos, the style of painting is closer to the Francken family. The above poor picture shows a martyrdom of Saint Catherine which is attributed to Frans Francken II, and where the position of the executioner and the horse are similar to the work for sale (although the genral posture is closer to the Simon de Vos actually, but the clothing is more like the Bonte work).

Even as an anonymous Flemish work, this one should fetch 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

Beautiful painting on paper by Gaudenzio Ferrari

Loeckx, from Belgium, sold on 29 May 2018 a "Gaudenzio Ferrari, Italy, 16th century" "drawing" of "The way of the cross", estimated at 3,000 to 5,000 Euro. (The link now gives an error, it can also be seen at Invaluable).

The work is signed and dated 1501, and is a painting on paper measuring 57 by 24 cm. And it is beautiful.

Crucifixion, 1513 fresco

Gaudenzio Ferrari (1471 or 1475-1547) was a Milanese painter, contemporary to Bernardo Luini. His most famous pupil was Andrea Solario. He was a prolific artist, and many works by him are known, though most are from the last decades of his life. This work would be one of the earliest known works.

Although the auction house mentions some condition issues (a tear and small holes), overall it is very well preserved, with vibrant colours. The work is probably a final study for a large painting or fresco, but can be considered a completed work of art on its own (and is as such signed and dated).

Researching the painting, at first I encountered a work by Ercole de Roberti (1451-1496) with largely the same composition (work for sale shown below it for easy comparison); this would mean that the work for sale was a later copy, or that the signature and date were not original. But when I tried to find out where the painting was now (as I originally ofund it on one of those annoying "we sell copies of paintings" websites without any further information), I found out that that work is now in the collection of the San Diego Museum of Art and is now attributed to Gandolfino da Roreto (1475-1530) and dated "ca. 1500", which exactly matches our date and leaves open all debate about who copied who, or whether they are by the same author or both based on an older third work. The San Diego version is slightly larger (70 by 29 instead of 57 by 24), but the version for sale looks more complete (at the top) and has more action to the left side. And the colouring is quite different, which often points to a common origin in an engraving, or one of them being based on a black-and-white drawing.

Further details from the work at Loeckx show the quality of the drawing and painting in this work. The faces could do with some improvement (but one has to remember the scale of the work), but if one considers this a youth work of Ferrari, I have no difficulty accepting it as genuine.

I have not posted this work before the auction because I have contacted the San Diego Museum instead, to give them a chance to acquire this as a perfect addition to the work they already have. They haven't responded to my post though (a common failure in many institutions it seems, they don't have to agree with me at all but a simple acknowledgement that they have read a mail isn't too much to ask surely?).

UPDATE: sold for 5,500 Euro, seems still cheap. Perhaps people were put off by the"drwing" description, when this is really more of a painting on paper surely?

"Antwerp School" painting is known from one other version described as "Style of Joos van Cleve"

Brussels Art Auctions, from belgium, sells on 5 June 2018 an "Antwerp School, 16th - 17th century" Virgin and Child, a small panel (25 by 20 cm) estimated at 2,500 to 3,500 Euro.

Another version of the same composition was sold at Sotheby's Amsterdam in 2004 for 21,600 Euro. It had nearly the same dimensions, but was visually more appealing (both better painted and with more, interesting, details). That work was attributed to the Master with the Parrot (active 1500-1530), but the RKD has since reattributed it to "Style of Joos van Cleve" (1485-1540).

The works seem related to the older "Madonna and Child with the Parrot" by Martin Schongauer (copy from the Met shown). But the two paintings probably derive from an unknown or lost work by some Flemish master of the early 16th century (I don't think the better version from the RKD is the original).

Attributing the work for sale to one painter specifically will be hard, it doesn't seem to be good enough to be bysome recognised artist, but it still is an old and rather attractive work and should easily fetch the estimate.

"Circle of Jan Baptist II Saive'' is copy after Joachim Beuckelaer

Campo & Campo, from Belgium (but selling under the Drouot wings), sells on 29 May 2018 a "Circle of Jean Baptiste II Saive" kitchen scene, a large canvas (128 by 190 cm)estimated at 5,000 to 8,000 Euro.

Stylistically, the link to Saive (1597-1641) is rather clear; the above, sold at Sotheby's in 1990 (as by Jan Baptist I saive, but by the RKD also given to his son Jan Baptist II) has similarly looking woman in nearly the same position.

Almost exactly the same position though (the left arm has been slightly raised in the copy) can be found in a work by Joachim Beuckelaer from the Musem in Vienna. The work is from 1574, so there can be no doubt which was the original and which the copy.

Even though it is a copy, it is a huge work and reasonably well painted, so the estimate is probably right.

"German" Triumph of Death is copy after Maarten van Heemskerck

Galerie Bassenge, from Germany, sells (in a specialized "Memento Mori" auction, nice!) on 31 May 2018 a "German, ca. 1600" Triumph of Death, a small oil on copper (18 by 26 cm) estimated at 1,200 Euro.

Someone has attributed the work to Georg Pencz on the back, and this is understandable considering the rather similar engraving after Pencz of the same topic, from between 1500 and 1550. This copy comes from the Met museum.

But the work is actually a copy after an engraving by Philips Galle after a work by Maarten van Heemskerck from 1565, with the exact same composition and dimensions. This copy is from the British Museum. It seems probable that Van Heemskerck was inspired by the Pencz engraving though.

The estimated value is probably about right, as such images still appeal to a modern taste and not too many old painted copies of this work are known.

UPDATE: sold for 1,600 Euro.

UPDATE 2: again for sale, now at Leo Spik on 5 December 2019, with same description and estimate of 2,000 Euro.  

"Flemish School, ca. 1550" is copy after Raphael (though with a Flemish connection)

Aguttes, from France, sells on 29 May 2018 a "Flemish School, c. 1550" drawing of the Adoration of the Magi, estimated at 2,500 to 4,000 Euro.

It is a good-sized (28 by 44 cm) but somewhat damaged drawing showing a quality composition which is well executed, but not brilliantly so.

The work is a design for a tapestry for Raphael, now in the Vatican Museums, and probably created at the Pieter Van Aelst workshop. The above drawing from the Morgan Library may be the original, and is certainly considered to be contemporary with the tapestry.

Comparison of a detail (upper left corner) will show the difference in quality, the condition issues with the work for sale, and the fact that the Morgan version is larger. But despite all this, it also shows the considerable quality and skill of the Aguttes version.

I have not been able to find food images of the finished tapestry, only partial images under an angle, which is rather disappointing. This one, from a tour operator in Rome, is the best I could find (and the accompanying text is surprisingly informative).

Unless some evidence could be found linking the drawing for sale directly to Pieter Aerts and his workshop, I think the estimate is about right, perhaps somewhat high for a copy.

Authentic image of a very historic moment?

Guillaumot-Richard, from France, sells on 26 May 2018 a "Gouache, dated 1785" depicting the "Aéro montgolfiere de Pilâtre de Rozier et Romai : la traversée de la Manche" or "Aero-balloon of Pilâtre de Rozier and Romain: the crossing of the Channed", estimated at 400 to 500 Euro.

This small (17.5 by 11.5 cm)  gouache depicts what looks to be one of the glorious moments of the very early ballooning years (the first crossing of the Channel from France to England), but turned out to be the first really dramatic moment in that history, with the first fatalities of an air crash ever.

Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier was actually one of the two men in the first real, untethered ballon flight in 1783, and also flew on the second balloon flight. He continued pushing the boundaries and went on ever more daring flights, going as high as 3,000 metres in 1784 already. 

The first Channel crossing, from England to France, had alreday been made early in 1785, but De Rozier wanted to make the first crossing from France and developed a new type of balloon for it, called the "Aëro-montgolfière" (Montgolfier was the inventor of the hot air balloon, and all balloons were called montgolfières then). It not only used hot air but also hydrogen, which has a larger lifting capacity. 

His companion Pierre-Ange Romain is less well-known, but was also a physician and chemist and co-designer of the new balloon.They died when the wind suddenly changed and the ballon imploded (though it didn't catch fire, it crash-landed, killing both passengers).

The work has the year 1785 and what look to be initials at the front, and an explanatory note on the back. It reads 'Aëro-montgolfière of Pilâtre de Rozier and Romain, in which they perished 15 June 1785, while flying across the Channel. A Wimille Pas-de-Calais". 

Pas-de-Calais is the region in the north of France where this happened. Their starting place was Boulogne-sur-Mer and the crash is usually situated in Wimereux. The actual crash took place in Wimille, in a part of the town which is now part of Wimereux; so the text at the back at least has the historical details completely correct. 

The problem with this kind of historical artwork is knowing whether it is an original contemporary eye witness account, or a (much) later commemorative, invented image. If this is an invented image, it is probably based on the above engraving by Charles Echard, showing clearly the same balloon and tower, but from a different vantage point. 

But I think that this one may well be a real contemporary document, an eye-witness account, and as such it should be worth a lot more than the estimated 400 Euro.

Saint Magdalene with Putti: a Cornelis van Poelenburgh?

Veritas, from Spain, sells on 22 May 2018 a "Flemish School, 17th century" Magdalene, estimated at 1500 to 2,000 Euro.

While the Mgadalene has clearly suffered through the ages and gives the impression of being the work of a third-rate painter, the overall composition and the execution of the many putti show more skill and make the work more interesting. Whether the same acceptable level of quality is hidden beneath dirt and overpaint for the Magdalene as well, or whether this is all that remains and the details have been rubbed away is unclear, but I seriously doubt that she originally had such a non-descript face or such a curved arm.

The overall atmosphere, and the chubby putti with their somewhat strange positions (e.g. the outstretched legs of some of them) strongly remind me of the work of Cornelis van Poelenburgh. While he has a few much better, polished works, many of his works are quite similar in execution to this one.

Van Poelenburgh put his putti or little angels in many, many paintings, even where they seem rather out of place, like in the above expulsion from Paradise.

One of his best works is probably this Venus and Cupid, clearly superior to the work for sale here.

The estimate for this work may be a bit low, but looking at older auction results for works attributed to van Poelenburgh, the prices are all over the place. Comparable works sell for 5,000 Euro, but better ones remain unsold with a 2,000 Euro estimate... You can't go much wrong at the lower estimate in any case.

UPDATE: as a reader correctly reported, Veritas is from Portugal, not from Spain.