Early Netherlandish Madonna

At Fairfield Auctions in Connecticut, they sell on 22 March 2015 a Madonna, probably 16th century, from the "Continental School". Estimated at $800 to $1,200. No idea if it is worth a lot more, but it certainly should fetch $1,000 easily.

It looks to me like a Flemish panel of ca. 1500-1550, assuming it isn't a later pastiche. I can't find other examples of the same type. The face type fits in the tradition of Bouts of Van der Goes, even somewhat reminding me of Geertgen of Sint Jans, but is not of the same quality as any known artist. But it has a lot of charm and intrigues with its original image. The crown is somewhat too large though...

This is a painting of the Saint Queen Isabel, by a follower of Quentin Massys. It dates from the same period as the painting for sale. The eyes are even more closed on this one.

Dirk Bouts and his followers painted a number of similar full frontal religious portraits in the same vein.

Possibly the same subject, but presented quite differently (and obviously much better) is the Regina Caeli by Van Eyck. Whether the painting for sale also depicts a Crowned Mary, or some Queen or other Saint, is not immediately obvious here. The lack of any halo may point in a more secular direction, but this isn't conclusive (and the painting has suffered over the ages, so it may well be that it looked different originally).

A reader sent me a link to another similar (though much better) painting, from the Liechtenstein Collections.

Christ on Mount of Olives

A Netherlandish "Christ on the Mount of Olives" is (again) for sale at Bukowski's. Estimated at about 1,000 Euro and currently at 480 Euro, it is described as "Unknown Flemish artist, 17th or 18th century" but looks to be older, 16th century probably. In December 2014, it was for sale at Stockholms Auktionsverk (then dated to 16th century or later) and estimated at 3,200 Euro to 4,300 Euro, but failed to sell. The no-sale and changed date perhaps indicate some correct doubts about whether it is an old painting or a later copy / style of version, which would be worth less. But it is charming and unusual, and at the current estimation one can't go wrong with it. UPDATE: ended at 734 Euro, not sold.

Early 16th century nativity

A nicely painted early 16th century Early Netherlandish nativity scene is for sale at
Doyle New York on 28 January. Estimated at $3,000 to $5,000 and starting at $1,500, this seems to be worth all the money (UPDATE: sold for $21,250 all-in!). Especially the Virgin is very well executed, the Joseph is less attractive (poor restoration?). I haven't found immediate references for the composition or the style, although it looks familiar in some aspects.

The awkward positioning of the Christ on a block of stone is relatively common in similar Early Netherlandish paintings, and can be seen in paintings by e.g. Pieter Coecke van Aelst or Ambrosius Benson. The most closely resembling the one for sale here in this particular aspect is probably a nativity by the Master of the Half Figures. The figure of Joseph is usually a much older man, so there is a chance that this is the donor and not a Joseph, but this seems unlikely.

UPDATE 13 January

Looking further for similar images and perhaps either an origin of the composition, or works by the same artist or circle, I came across the above nativity. It is a Spanish work by the Master of Zamora, but it has some remarkable similarities, starting of course with the position of the child on the stone, but also the overall composition. They aren't near copies, but the same basic ideas seem to have influenced both, including things like colours of the clothes, the position of the animals to the right and the two shephers to the left (the third one has been moved though), the hill on the left and the lake more to the center, and the architecture of the stable.