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.

"Flemish genre painting" is by a Follower of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths

Quentin, from Berlin, Germany, sells on 22 April 2017 a "Flemish genre painting, ca. 1600" of a merry company, estimated at 3,500 to 5,000 Euro.

The work is a variation on a painting sold at Sotheby's London in 2013, which was then attributed to the Master of the Female Half Lengths. It sold for £86,500.

Another, more elaborate version with the story of the Prodigal Son, is kept in the Musée Carnavalet and has been attributed in the past to the same master, or Jan van Hemessen, or Quentin Massys, or the Monogrammist of Brunswick. This version lacks the jester with his marotte though. But it does have what seems to be Paris in the background (the Notre Dame!), which explains what it does in the Musée Carnavalet, which is a historical museum first and foremost.

While the original artist is thus clearly unidentified, the work for sale is a copy of lesser quality, but with some interesting variations which may help people define the original artist (if these variations are based on some original version of course). The exact allegorical meaning isn't really clear to me, but women, alcohol and music all seem to be foolish things to get involved with. Perhaps it is simply another Parable of the Prodigal Son. The estimate may be somewhat high for a clearly less skilled artist, but it is an interesting old work anyway and should be worth a few thousand Euros anyway.

"Northern School" is a copy after the Master of the Female Half-lengths

Prunier, French auction house, sells on 25 October 2015 as lot 142 a "Northern School" Young girl writing, a small oil on panel (25 by 20 cm) estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

While of lesser quality, it is very reminiscent of the charming works of the Master of Female Half-Lenghts, one of the more important notname Flemish Masters. The RKD lists a number of closely related works, e.g. one sold at Christie's in 1993 and one from the Museum of Krakow (pictured).

But by far the closest is a work sold last year at Sotheby's for a whopping 275,000 Euro. It is immediately obvious that the one for sale now is a straight copy of that work, but lacking the talent or patience to add the realism, the details, the finishing. Still, this type doesn't turn up all that often, and it should be worth the estimate for that reason alone, and for the undeniable charm of the topic and execution.

UPDATE: apparently not sold with the poor description, so now it is for sale at Audap-Mirabaud on 1 April 2016 with the correct  "Follower of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths" description and a reasonable estimate of 2,000 to 3,000 Euro.

UPDATE 2: sold for 2,200 Euro.