Cats: the concert

Salle des Ventes de Chinon, in France, sells on 27 November 2019 a "Flemish school, 18th century" cat's concert, estimated at 1,200 to 1,500 Euro.

The work seems to come from the same workshop as one sold at Sotheby's in 2012 for £8,125, described as Flemish ca. 1700. The image is reversed, but many elements are nearly identical. While the one for sale is slightly less precise painted, the price difference is rather large.

A similar work of better quality was sold at Sotheby's in 2013 for $15,000, and was then described as Lombard School, ca. 1700.

Interestingly, the Met Museum has an engraving dated before 1771, by the Swiss Balthasar Anton Dunker, which shows a painting supposedly by Jan Brueghel, from the collection of the Duke of Choiseul. One can even wonder if the one sold at Sotheby's isn't the same one that was then said to be the work of Jan Brueghel, considering the old French noble provenance of that one ("Prince and Princess Henry De la Tour d'Auvergne Lauraguais").

Another version of that work was said to be by Ferdinand van Kessel and dated 1696.

A fragment of a painting with the same orientation as the one for sale now is offered by art dealer Mahringer in Austria. This one stays closer to the engraving than the one offered here though. 

All in all, a standard version of an interesting composition with quite a few copies. This one seems somewhat underrated compared to the prices some better versions have fetched.

"Circle of Jan Brueghel II" is circle of Ferdinand van Kessel and Peter Casteels

Kendzia, from Hamburg, Germany, sells on 24 March 2017 a "Circle of Jan Brueghel II" Allegorical Scene, estimated at 9,000 Euro.

It is an Allegory of Taste, and while Jan Brueghel has painted similar scenes, this one seems particularly close to the works of Frans Wouters (1612-1659) (example was for sale for 50,000 Euro but remained unsold). The work offered here is a large oil on copper (55 by 72 cm), typical (though not exclusive) for the region and painters around Jan Brueghel.

The Wouters has also been copied by Jan Van Kessel the Elder (1626-1679).

The work for sale clearly is based on a reversal of motifs by Wouters, even though it isn't an exact copy.
 

The actual  origin of this painting, based on Wouters, was a work by Ferdinand van Kessel and Peter Casteels though (found via RKD, shown topmost, work for sale below it for easy comparison). It was for sale at Koller in 2008 (80,000 Swiss Francs) and 2009 (60,000 Swiss Francs), but both times remained unsold. The work for sale now is in worse condition, but even so it looks to me like a less well executed work, especially the central female figure (Venus? A well-clothed Venus in that case). It is not a real copy, enough details are different, but it obviously is the same composition.

The estimate seems a bit too high taking these things into consideration, but it still is an attractive work which is in dire need of cleanup and perhaps restoration (and if you are really lucky, it has been partially overpainted and you find an original Kessel / Casteels anyway!)

"Attributed to Ferdinand van Kessel" is copy after Abraham Teniers

Mercier, from France, sells on 12 February 2017 an "Attributed to Ferdinand van Kessel" Monkeys shaving Cats, a small panel (24 by 35 cm) estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 Euro. Lot 242, page 45.

This amusing scene can be found in multiple nearly identical works by Abraham Teniers. The best and best preserved one is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, and has identical dimensions to the one here.

The work for sale seems a straight copy after the Teniers, but by a lesser painter. No good reason to attribute it to a van Kessel seems to exist. The estimate seems too high for a copy, even though it is a highly amusing work. 2,000 to 3,000 Euro seems more reasonable.

Ferdinand van Kessel?

A painting attributed to an "unknown artist". Could it be a Ferdinand van Kessel? The subject, style, and hardly legible signature and date all point in that direction, and the material (oil on copper) also is correct. The quality of the painting probably isn't good enough though, so "Style of Ferdinand van Kessel" or "Circle of Ferdinand van Kessel" may be more accurate. Still beats "Unknown artist" as description though! My estimate? 500 Euro. Catawiki.

Update: it sold for 190 Euro. Either a very nice bargain or a lot of money for a fake. Might be interesting to see if this turns up elsewhere in the next few years.