The case of the Great Bustard

Last week (10 and 11 December 2019), Vanderkindere, from Belgium, had an interesting sale with a few lots I was writing a blog post about, when I came across a painting which they had misattributed and undervalued, and which seemed obscure enough to give me a fair chance at buying a sleeper for once. In the end, I didn't win, but the blog post remained unposted as I didn't want to attract more attention to the auction. So, this one is after the fact, but the auction had one major painting, and my sleeper, so it may still be interesting. Plus, Vanderkindere removes the images after the auction, so here's your chance to see a few of them. The quality of the auction was mainly caused by the sale of two relatively important collections, one from Baron Benoît-Adrien de Moffarts, and one from the Castle of Zaventem.

First we had lot 4, a "16th century(?), anonymous" John the Baptist, estimated at 1,000 to 1,500 Euro.

It was based on an engraving by Jacob Matham after Hendrik Goltzius (found via the Rijksmuseum). Even so, it fetched 3,800 Euro, a lot more than I expected.

Lot 43 was a "Follower of Lucas van Valckenborch" Flemish Kermesse with skaters, estimated at 5,000 to 7,000 Euro.

In fact, it didn't show a winter scene with skaters, but people dancing around the May tree! It was sold for 5,600 Euro.

Lot 105 was the star lot of the auction. "Attributed to Jan Cornelisz. Vermeyen", the portrait of George Schenck van Toutenburg, stadhouder of Overijssel, estimated at 50,000 to 60,000 Euro. 

People clearly and rightly believed it to be an authentic work by Vermeyen, and heavy bidding saw it end at 520,000 Euro, a very high price for a Belgian auction. Not surprising, Vermeyen was one of the best and most important portraitists of his generation in Northern Europe, and his works are rare on the market, as most of them are in museum collections.

Not a record for this artist though, his incredibly powerful portrait of Joost Aemszoon van der Burch sold for 2,7 million in 2016 at Christie's.

Lot 70 was an "Attributed to Govert Flinck" portrait of an abbess, estimated at 7,000 to 9,000 Euro. It was sold for 9,500 Euro, not too much for this good painting.

 Lot 149 was a "Flemish School, 16th century" Stoning of Saint Stephen, estimated at 800 to 1,200 Euro. It fetched 1,800 Euro instead.

It is a copy after an engraving by Remondini, which I found at the Wellcome collection. I can't find much information on this engraver though, except that he seems to have worked in the 18th century, which is a bit late for this painting.

So I continued looking, and it is more likely to be a copy after an engraving by Jan Sadeler I after Marten de Vos, depicting the Martyrdom of Five Saints (via the British Museum). This engraving also has the same orientation as the painting, which makes more sense.

Lot 154 is a "Dutch School, 17th century, monogram H.V.E." Vanity with soap bubbles, estimated at 600 to 800 Euro. It sold for just 500 Euro.

It is a variation on a work by David Teniers, as can be seen in this version from the National Museum of Fine Arts in Cuba (found at RKD: looks like a copy to me).

Another version was sold at Van Ham last month (14 November 2019), also as a David Teniers: it fetched 50,000 Euro. This one is even closer to one for sale, when one looks at details like the bottles on the table or the form of the guitar (including the tassel at the end).

Finally, I found the original for the work for sale in the Royal Collection (purchased by George IV). Here as well I'm not convinced that this is an actual Teniers and not some copy (perhaps a workshop copy), real Teniers paintings show a lot more brilliance usually.

The last lot is the one I wanted to buy, but where I didn't succeed. A "Dutch School, late 17th or early 18th century" still life, estimated at 1,000 Euro.

The work seemed immediately underestimated, as it showed clear quality. It also had some rather individual characteristics, like the type of birds or the way the fruit and vegatables was painted.

Some searching led me to Gottfried Libalt (1610-1673), a German-Austrian painter. I stumbled across a work in the National Gallery of Prague showing the exact same bird, though in a different setting, but with the same typical method of painting the subjects. Other works also had similar birds and vegetables, making it quite certain that this was an unknown, misattributed genuine Libalt.

The bird, by the way, looks to be a Great Bustard, a bird most common in Spain but also in Austria and surroundings. It is one of the largest European birds, and an imposing sight, in nature but presumably also on the table of some royalty or high nobility. I have no knowledge of any other painter who ever depicted a great bustard in their still lifes, but they probably exist anyway.

The Vanderkindere work was sold for 7,000 Euro, which I think is a bargain, as it should be worth 25,000 to 30,000 Euro.

Some lots from Rops

Rops, from belgium, sells on 15 and 16 December a few interesting lots.

Lot 1918 is a "German School" portrait of Ioannes Draconites, estimated at 4,000 to 6,000 Euro.

Johannes Draconites (1494-1566) was a German theologian and humanist. The portrait here matches the few known portraits, so no problem there, and is actually the best portrait of him among those I found online.

The painting was sold by Galerie Moderne in 2017 (as "German School, 16th century"), where it fetched 34,000 Euro against a 4,000 Euro estimate.

It was then offered as a work by Bartholomäus Bruyn the Elder on 18 May 2019 at Lempertz, with an estimate of 60,000 Euro to 80,000 Euro, but failed to sell and was afterwards removed from the website. And now it is back on the market at the original price and description... An interesting work, worth more than the estimate, but probably rather "burned" by now to expect an actual profit.

UPDATE: sold for 13,000 Euro!

Lot 1937 is a "Joos de Momper" landscape estimated at 600 to 800 Euro.

While the work isn't as good as known similar works by the artist, and should probably be described as workshop or follower, it still is a very good work for the price, and should fetch 2,000 Euro instead. The two details above compare similar bits from the one for sale (above) and a winter landscape from a private collection, included in the Ertz Catalogue Raisonnée from 1986. The figures are not by Joos de Momper normally though, but by Jan Brueghel II, and the detail from the work for sale closely follows his style.

If it is an authentic work by these two, then I am way too cautious. One sold at Sotheby's in 2014 fetched £386,500! To me eyes, it lacks that intensity, the detailing and colouring from a real work. Still, it wouldn't surprise me if this one became the sleeper of the auction.

UPDATE: indeed, sold for 30,000 Euro!!

Unless of course lot 1986, a 1544 portrait of Emperor Charles V, estimated at 800 to 1,200 Euro, is even more interesting.

The auction house gives no indication of date and origin, and the estimate seems to suggest that they doubt ots authenticity. The face seems right, the date matches the age on the image, so if it is a fake, it was done cleverly. It can also be a much more recent copy of an old work of course.

The text on the outer rim reads "S. Propagand(e?) Anno Aetatis S. XXXXIIII" "Gloriosiss. Victoriosiss. Clementiss. Imp. Carolus V." "PP. ReiFubi" (no clear space between Rei and Fubi).

The peculiarity of one gloved hand and one holding the other glove is reminiscent of the portrait of Charles V by Titian fom 1548, now in the Alte Pinakothek.

If this is an original, contemporary portrait of Charles V from a painter from the German School, it should be worth around 10,000 Euro instead.

UPDATE: sold for 6,500 Euro, nice.

Lot 2097 is nothing spectacular, just a bargain in my opinion. A beautiful drawing of a Neogothic building (or design for one), very decorative, even if we don't know the name of the architect or whether the house is real or not. At 100 to 160 Euro, you get a large work (98 by 66 cm) which would fit perfectly in many houses. They offer a whole series of good architectural coloured drawings, but this one seems to be the best.

UPDATE: sold for 100 Euro, people didn't really share my enthusiasm.

Finally, lot 2198, is a "15th century Italian school of Lorenza de Paolo", an ordination of a priest/saint estimated at 3,000 to 4,000 Euro.

It looks like the work of a miniaturist who tried to paint at a larger scale, ca. 1480-1500 (perhaps because the market for miniatures was diminishing with the introduction of book printing?). The problem with the description is that I can't find any trace of a Lorenzo de Paolo. "Lorenza" is unlikely in any case, but no Lorenzo de Paolo or variation thereof seems to be known either. Perhaps they meant Giovanni di Paolo? He also painted with these heavy folds, and made both panel paintings and illuminations, so there may be a link, but it seems tenuous.

I haven't been able to find a more precise subject for the painting (i.e. which saint?), and the iconography looks to be rather unusual. The value seems about right though.

UPDATE; indeed, sold for 3,600 Euro.

On the 16th they sell lot 5009, a poster estimated at 80 to 120 Euro.

It is a badly damaged lot, torn and darkened, but it turns out to be a highly desirable work anyway (assuming that it is an original, which seems likely). It is a poster for "Les Montmartroises" "Poésies et chansons par Jean Goudezki" "Les musiques par Léopold Gangloff" "Editeur Georges Ondet" with an address in Paris, and a small note that the poster may not be sold.

It turns out to be a poster by Georges de Feure (1868-1943) for the famous Chat Noir cabaret. Another one was sold at ArtPrecium in 2018 for 2,000 Euro!

Now, there is good and bad news. The bad news is that, apart from the condition issues already noted, the one for sale misses the leftmost part, with the signature and indication of Chat Noir. The discoloration is also much more obvious when compared to one in good condition.

So what's the good news, apart from this being a sought-after poster? Well, the one sold was a nice format, 31 by 79 cm. The one for sale now though is 128 by 63 cm! At double the size of the other one, it looks to be much rarer still. I can find information about the small one from a few other sales (Sotheby's Fine posters auction, 1979, Swann Auctions in 2008, and another sale in 1968) and a poster catalogue from 1977, but the large one is never mentioned as far as I can see. Even a book on Georges de Feure only mentions the small one.

Which means that I have no clue about the value. If it is original (and my gut instinct says yes), then a complete one in good condition may be worth 10,000 Euro. An incomplete, battered one? No idea, but definitely more than 80 Euro surely?

UPDATE: not sold. Not an original? Or is an original, even if rare and sought after, worthless in this condition? No idea.

An unrecognised copy after Jacob de Backer (and one after Pieter Coecke)

Herbette, from Doullens, in France, sells on 15 December 2019 a "Dutch School, 17th century" Music for the Gods, estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

It is a more colourful but slightly stilted version of an "Apollo and Pan" by Jacob de Backer, sold at Christie's last year for £22,500. That one was 107 by 149 cm, the one for sale is only 55 by 72 or about half size (well, quarter size by surface area, half size by any single dimension).

Even as a copy it seems underrated and should probably go for closer to 5,000 Euro.

The same auction also has as lot 290 a "Northern School, 17th century" Holy Family, estimated at 800 to 1200 Euro.

It is a copy after Pieter Coecke (workshop version shown, other variations are known as well), not the best but interesting at that price. Note how the hand of the virgin offering her breast to the child, has been changed in the more "modest" version for sale to a hand giving a benediction.

Van den Hoecke, Jan Brueghel II, Frans Francken, Hendrick van Balen... all copies after Cavarozzi

Fourquet-Peeren, from Saint-Omer in France, sells on 14 December 2019 a "Flemish School (Antwerp), first half of the 17th century" Holy family, estimated at 4,000 to 6,000 Euro. It is attributed on the frame to Jan Van den Hoecke (1611-1651), assistant to Rubens.

Earlier this year, Rob Michiels sold another version of the same composition, this time attributed to a Follower of Hendrick van Balen (I couldn't find an actual overview photo of the painting, only this central part). They also have approximately the same dimensions (124 by 90 cm, versus 121 by 82 cm). It sold for 4,400 Euro (costs included).

Dorotheum sold in 2013 a flower garland with this composition inside for 61,000 Euro. According to the RKD, it should be attributed to the workshop of Frans Francken II; at the auction, it was attributed to Jan Brueghel II.

Despite all these big Flemish names, it looks as if the original or the direct inspiration for this work should be sought in Italy, with Bartolomeo Cavarozzi (1587-1625). He painted many similar works, with e.g. the first two above (said to be copies after Cavarozzi) showing the exact same position of the hands. The second of those is from Koller, 2010. The other two are authentic Cavarozzi.

I presume that some engraving made this work popular in Flanders, but I haven't found it.

The many variations of an Early Netherlandish "Throne of Mercy"

Bernaerts, from Belgium, sells on 9 December 2019 a "Flemish, anonymous, late 16th century" Trinity, estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

They describe it as a version of a much-copied painting from the National Gallery by the Master of the Prodigal Son.

In fact it is much closer to a composition which I already described in a blog post from November 2018, and which goes back to a (lost?) Rogier van der Weyden work. The image shows the Trinity in a specific pose usually called a Throne of Mercy.

That post contained a few images of such compositions, but there are many further versions of this composition around, many of them quite elaborate, and attributed to a wide variety of artists. Most of these I found through the BALat / Kik-Irpa phototeque search.

A somewhat less close copy, as the center piece for a triptych, is attributed to Jean Bellegambe and kept in the Museum of Fine Arts in Lille (a museum, by the way, with a fairly good collection of Early Netherlandish paintings, including works by Dirk Bouts).

Colijn de Coter, Louvre

Joos van Cleve

Copy after Robert Campin

Another copy after Campin

Master of the Holy Blood? (Brussels)

 

Antwerp School, 1525 (Christie's 2014)

 

But the actual original work is most closely followed in a few very nice copies. Apart from the one in Museum M in Leuven (given in the earlier blog post), these included one by Colijn de Coter from the Louvre, one attributed to Joos van Cleve (location unknown), a copy after Robert Campin from the Fanch collection, another very similar copy after Campin (location unknown), and one tentatively attributed to the Master of the Holy Blood (from the Brussels Museum of Fine Arts). Another version of this, given to "Antwerp School, ca. 1525" was sold at Christie's in 2014 for £50,000.

At some point another major version evolved, only showing the trinity (Father, son, and Holy Ghost as a dove) without the angels or the background. The one for sale now, and the one for sale in the previous post, are examples of this, but other ones are known. The main variations are the Father either looking straight ahead (closer to the examples above), or to the side (showing more grief and less majesty).

Northern French artist

Follower of Hugo Van der Goes (Verviers)
 

Unknown painter, Brussels

Unknown painter, Marke

Examples include one from an unknown Northern French artist (location unknown), a Follower of Hugo van der Goes from the Verviers City Museum, which is actually very close to the work for sale (but better executed), an unknown painter (Brussels, Social Services Museum) (even closer to the one for sale), and an unknown painter from the De Béthune collection in Marke, Flanders.

1504 triptych, Lessines

Follower of Campin, Berlin 

 

Jean Bellegambe, Douai

 

Master of the Virgo inter Virgines (Zagreb)

  

Further variations can be seen in a rather naive triptych from 1504, now in the Hospital Museum in Lessines, a follower of Campin in the Museum of Berlin (an intermediate form between the two major versions), the central painting from a major polyptych by Jean Bellegambe, from the Museum of Douai, and even a "Master of the Virgo inter Virgines" from the Strossmayer Gallery in Zagreb.

The original version of this intermediate form (Father frontal, background, but no angels) may be found in a Robert Campin from the Hermitage. Note that this is one of the very few in the long list of images where the left hand of Christ (right from our point of view) is hanging down instead of being open, to show the stigmata. But in essence it clearly is the same composition.

Related to this is a work supposed to be by Robert Campin as well, from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. It is not a painting but a kind of bejeweled embroidery, which I only found through sites selling art reproductions, not directly, so I give the information for what it's worth.

Like I said, one of the most often copied or reinterpreted Early Netherlandish paintings you can find, with many great names associated.