"Follower of Balthasar van den Bossche" is work by or after Gerard Thomas

Emmanuel Dard, from France, sells on 31 March 2019 a "Flemish School, ca. 1800, follower of Balthasar van den Bossche" alchemist painting, estimated at 600 to 1,000 Euro.

While the work is reminiscent of the style of Van den Bossche, the topic is not his common theme of the painter's or sculptor's workshop, and the painting here is smoother, less sketchy than what van den Bossche often produced.

It turns out to be a work by or after Gerard Thomas (1663-1721), who is slightly earlier than his pupil Balthasar Van den Bossche. Their work is very similar, so the attribution of the auction house is perfectly understandable.

The original versions usually show the "alchemist" (more likely a physician, as the open book is a work on medicine by Hippocrates)) in his study, not just the apprentice in an empty room. I don't think the version for sale is incomplete though, just a different appraoch to the subject. This one is from the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine.

RKD lists another version, sold at Dorotheum in 2004. This one is given as "after Gerard Thomas", and was sold for 12,000 Euro. This version shows how the figures on the left hand side could be changed, and also has a muh more similar version of the boy on the right, the orientation of the vase in front of him, the books placed in front of the large central book, ...

A nearly identical version was sold at Tajan in 2009 (also found through RKD).

I haven't found other examples of this smaller, emptier version of the work. It is probably not by Thomas, but after him, but even so it should be worth 1,500 to 2,000 Euro.

"After van Eyck" is copy after Campin instead

Westport, from the USA, sells on 31 March 2019 in an interesting single owner (a lover of Pieter Brueghel) auction an "After van Eyck, possibly 16th / 17th century" oil on panel of a donor with Saint John, estimated at $2,000 to $3,000.

It is not a copy after Van Eyck, but after a 1438 work by Robert Campin, a portrait of Heinrich von Werl, professor of theology in Cologne. The original is (together with the other wing of the triptych) kept in the Prado in Madrid. It is remarkable, that while the work for sale follows the original in nearly every detail (things like the nail above the mirror, the view through the window, or the clasp on the book that carries the lamb), it totally omits the blue cloth in the center. I don't know whether this says something about how the Campin looked at some point in the past, or whether it is an unlikely error by the copiist, or if it means that the artist was poor and blue too costly?

The figure of Saint John here seems to have been the inspiration for the same saint in the Donne Triptych by Memling, nearly 50 years later (now in the National Gallery).

The work for sale is hard to date. A 17th century copy after Campin would be very late (though not impossible, I have once discussed an 18th century Memling copy), so it is more likely to be either 16th century or early 20th century. If it really is old, it should be easily worth the estimate even though it isn't painted very well, as it is a rare surviving example of the lasting infuence of Campin next to Van Eyck and Van der Weyden.

UPDATE: sold for $1,100 only.

Flemish demons

Two Flemish paintings involving demons, witches and the like.

The first is at Horta, Belgium, on 25 March 2019: a Temptation of Saint Anthony, "Flemish School 17th century, old attribution to David Ryckaert III", estimated at 1,000 to 1,500 Euro.

It contains many of the typical elements of such paintings, as can be seen in the works of Teniers, Ryckaert, or Saftleven. We have a demon riding a pig, and carrying a type of bucket or small cauldron (referring again to witchcraft) as his helmet. There is a horse's skull, another skull with a tail (or is it a blonde braid?), and at the bottom left another skulled demon; and there is the fiddler, a strange combination of a a commedia dell'arte dwarflike figure with a chicken foot. That last figure seems to be the most original, I can find many musicians in such Temptation paintings, but none similar to this one.

The painting seems to be an original composition or a copy after an unknown work, as I haven't found a better painted similar work nor an engraving it may be based on. The estimate is probably about right, as the topic is always popular and intriguing, even if the work itself is not of the highest quality.

The second is Westport, USA, on 31 March 2019: the Gates of Hell, "Flemish School 16th or 17th century", estimated at $1,500 to $2,500 but in a very poor condition.

This one is harder to decipher. It has elements of a Gates of Hell, but no Jesus nor humans. It has elements of a Witches sabbath, but the most obvious "witch" has wings, which is not common for depictions of witches and points more to a demon or fallen angel. It has elements of a Saint Anthony (the three headed dog strongly reminds me of a similar one in a Temptation by Teniers), but lacks the central figure. It seems likely that the painting is incomplete, even possibly missing parts between the two planks, but also on the left side and the bottom.

The work reminds me most of the demonic visions by Cornelis Saftleven, but isn't refined enough to be by him. Still, it is a very unusual painting, full of originality, and worthy of a thorough restoration.

UPDATE: sold for $5,000!

Reappearing at Hampel, March 2019: an overview

I've updated quote a few older blog posts with reference to the 28 March 2019 auction at Hampel, Germany, because many paintings (or very close copies) reappear in that auction.

This includes:

*A "resurrection" (or ascension), sold at Audap Mirabaud in June 2018. The version at Hampel is probably not the same but nearly identical.

*An "attributed to Hermann tom Ring" which they tried to sell in September 2018, and now again with a lowered estimate. The attribution is still wrong though.

*A "Simon Marmion", for sale at Hermitage in November 2018, with an identical lower estimate. It still isn't by Marmion though.

*I already wrote a blog post this week about the Francken they now correctly offer and which I first discussed in 2015.

*And finally, an "adoration of the shepherds", for sale at Carlo Bonte in September 2017, is now offered as the work of Hans Rottenhammer and estimated at 28,000 to 35,000 Euro. It is a copy after engravings by Maerten de Vos: whether the copy is made by Rottenhammer is hard to be sure of.

1,500 Euro in 2015, now 20,000 Euro?

Hampel, from Germany, sells on 28 March 2019 a "Frans Francken II" Preaching of Saint John the Baptist, estimated at 20,000 to 40,000 Euro (which is quite a wide margin).

The painting looks awfully close (also in dimensions) to one I already discussed in 2015, when it was for sale in Ireland (at Sheppard's) as a "Seventeenth-century Dutch school" with an estimate of 1,500 to 2,500 Euro, after having been offered in 2014 already for 3,500 Euro.

It looks as if after the 2015 sale, it has been unframed (revealing slightly more to the sides), and lightly cleaned, and my tentative attribution to Francken confirmed.

Master of the Prodigal Son, of the Parrot, or of the Female Half-lengths?

Rops, from Belgium, sells on 1 April 2019 a "Master of the Prodigal Son" Virgin and Child, estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 Euro.

This work is one of many based on a composition by Pieter Coecke van Aelst, and has been reused mainly by three closely related masters, the Master of the Prodigal Son, the Master of the Female Half-Lengths, and the Master of the Parrot.

A more elaborate and sculptural version by the Master of the Parrot was sold at Lempertz in 2014 for 62,000 Euro.

A variation on this one was sold over the years as either Parrot or Prodigal Son, and fetched in 2010 at Hampel 48,000 Euro, according to the RKD.

Another version by the Parrot master was sold at Christie's in 2005 for £38,000.

According to the RKD, Christie's sold a version by the Master of the Female Half Lengths in 1976. This one seems a lot closer to the work for sale now, especially in the execution of the face of the Virgin.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Rijksmuseum

I have not immediately found a version by the Master of the Prodigal Son. In general, his work (like that of the Master of the Parrot) is more sculptural, both in colouring and in the lack of sfumato, while the Master of the Female Half Lengths creates a much softer, smokier effect, with more natural flesh colours.

I would estimate the one for sale at 12,000 Euro.

UPDATE: sold for 15,000 Euro.

Unidentified copies at Carlo Bonte

Carlo Bonte, from Belgium, sells some at first sight interesting works in their auction on 27 March 2019. However, they turn out to be copies of better works, which is a pity.

Lot 979 is a Lamentation, described as "Southern Netherlands, 17th century, no visible signature", and estimated at 1,000 to 1,500 Euro. It is a rather dull copy of a Van Dyck from the Royal Museum of Antwerp.

Lot 996 is a Susanna and the Elders, with a description of "Southern Netherlands, 16th century", and an estimate of 2,000 to 3,000 Euro. It is based on a ca. 1600 engraving by Anthnie Wierix after a design by Maerten de Vos. As such, the estimate seems to high.

One other lot that caught my eye is 981, a series of 4 huge paintings (about 2 by 3 metres each!) by Flori Van Acker (Bruges, 1858-1940), neo-romantic painter and director of the Bruges Academy. The condition isn't brilliant, and they are not the best paintings ever, but these four together, some 20 square metres of painting by a known artist, is estimated at 500 to 1,000 Euro only! I guess in this case their size may actually be a disadvantage, as they are too big for most homes, and they seem to be unframed which would add a serious cost to get them presentable. The subject matter, missionary work, also isn't fashionable.

Still, even a work like the one above, in it's typical provincial Art Nouveau advertising poster style (Neogothic with a flourish), should easily fetch the estimate on its own, as it is a striking image, done with great skill. It's hard to predict if this kind of painting will ever get fashionable again, but it seems unimaginable that they may get even less in favour than they are now.

17th century Flemish drawing seems close to Patinir, but it actually matches a later engraving

Millon, from France, sells on 28 March 2019 a "17th century Flemish School" Saint Christopher, estimated at 600 to 800 Euro.

The drawing seems close to the works of Joachim Patinir and the like, with the small Saint Anthony with his lamp, and extreme rock parties to the side. Also the way the clothing billows after the central figure is not common in 17th century works and much more usual in 16th century drawings and paintings.

Christie's sold in 2012, as "Workshop of Patinir", a comparable painting, which fetched £37,000.

The general composition is also comparable to e.g. this "Follower of Van Eyck" from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

But this image turns out to be the same composition as an engraving by Pieter de Jode from ca. 1600, found at the Rijksmuseum. Unless this is the original design for the engraving (which is unlikely but not impossible), this would mean that the dating and estimate is about right.

"Flemish School, ca. 1600-1620" is a copy after Tempesta

May, from France, sells on 25 March 2019 a "Flemish School, ca. 1600-1620" Conversion of Saint Paul, estimated at 4,000 to 6,000 Euro.

As it is a not too briliantly painted copy after an engraving by Tempesta, that estimate seems too steep. For some reason the upper half of the painting is very simplified compared to the original, losing a lot of the dynamic and equilibrium at the same time.

UPDATE: again for sale at May on 17 June 2019 with a reduced estimate of 2,500 to 3,500 Euro.

Ambrosius Francken

Mercier, from France, sells on 31 March 2019 (the sale with the new Rubens sketch) a "Workshop of Ambrosius Francken the Elder" Death of Sapphira, estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

While the link with Ambrosius Francken is clear, the "workshop of" seems a bit optimistic and this is probably a "copy after". Even so, this is a minor version of an important painting of this somewhat minor artist, and deserves attention.The below three examples come from "Technical examination and conservation of the painting 'The death of Sapphira' by Ambrosius Francken II" by Damian Luzin, from 2013.

Other versions include:

 Besançon Cathedral, Ambrosius Francken I

 Krakow, unknown artist close to Ambrosius Francken I

 Dublin Castle, Ambrosius Francken II

The version for sale is obviously closer to the second and especially the third version. This would mean that it is more likely to be a Workshop of Ambrosius Francken the Younger than the Elder. 

Not all good versions were included in the Luzin article though, especially this one from the Phoenix Museum, attributed to Ambrosius Francken I, but very close to (but superior to) the Dublin version. The identical colours indicate that whoever painted the Dublin version had direct access to the Phoenix one (or a common one between them), while the one for sale is more separated and uses different colours. 

The RKD also mentions a version sold in Stockholm in 2000, but whether this is the same as any of the above versions is unclear. 

The estimate for this work is probably about right, and it was a good opportunity to show the other versions of this painting.