Protector of birds

Leland Little, from the United States, sells on 1 December 2018 a "17th century Flemish" still life with cat, estimated at $1,000 to $3,000.

It is a rather dark work, which seems partially intentional and partially due to age and dirt. The exact quality is therefor hard to judge, but it seems to be a work in the vein of some well-known artists, but probably not good enough to be by them. Still, it should easily fetch the estimate as it is a good, intriguing work with the cat lurking in the back looking directly at the viewer.

While there are many, many Flemish still lifes with cats (e.g. the works of Clara Peeters), this version is close to the work of some very specific painters: Carstian Luyckx, Alexander Adriaenssen, and David de Coninck. But none have the full frontal, very dark look of this one.

UPDATE: sold for $1,700.