Pieter van Avont

DVC, in Ghent, sells a "Flemish, 17th century" painting of the Holy Family with John the Baptist in a landscape, estimated at 4,000 to 6,000 Euro. According to the description, it was sold in 1946 as by Jan Brueghel the Elder and Hendrik Van Balen I. At first glance, it certainly looks like a Brueghel, but the style and quality aren't there, although it is a very good painting.

Searching further revealed that the central figures are the same (but in reverse) as the ones in a similar painting by Pieter van Avont. The quality of the work seems somewhat lesser though, so an attribution as "Circle of Pieter van Avont" may be the most correct here. The landscape may be by Van Avont or someone else in the same Jan Brueghel II circle, hard to tell. Should be worth the estimate, and if it could be firmly attributed to Van Avont even a bit more.

After Boucher, probably recently though

At Clars, American auction house from Oakland, they sell on 31 May 2015 an "attributed to François Boucher" Diana with Cherubs, estimated at $8,000 to $12,000.

It's a nice painting, but not Boucher-quality. It is a copy with variations after Boucher though: the source for the cherubs is his "Birth of Venus" above, from the Wallace Collection.

And the source for the Diana is the "Diana and Callisto" from the Nelson-Atkins Museum.

Taken all together, I would have serious doubts about the age of this painting which may well be fairly recent (in an old frame though!). UPDATE: sold for $4,500, way below the estimate but still too much in my opinion. Give the buyer the feeling he has gotten a bargain (just above half the estimate!) and still get more money than it's worth, that's smart business I guess.

Copy after Rubens

Campo&Campo, from Antwerp, sells an "Old Master, 18th century" depiction of Christ offering the key to Saint Peter, a small (37 by 30) panel estimated at 700 to 900 Euro.

It is a reverse (so after an engraving) copy of a painting by Rubens, now in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Not sure it is worth the estimate, it is a rather lifeless copy, but of course such copies nearly always pale when put next to the original... UPDATE: not sold, now in the after sale.

Yet another copy of the same Coxcie for sale!

In what is becoming a quite absurd coincidence, this is my my third "Ecce Homo by Coxcie" post in 5 days, as yet another copy of the same picture from the second post comes up for auction now. Rare!

Campo&Campo, auction house from Antwerp, sells on 2 June 2015 an "Old Master, 17th or 18th century" flagellation. It is obviously yet another copy of the supposed Coxcie "Ecce Homo", and comes without estimate. It clearly isn't the long lost original though...

"Italian nobleman" is French Duke

Nye, American auction house, sell on 2 June 2015 a "portrait of an Italian nobleman", estimated at $300 to $500.

As the inscription makes clear, it is a portrait of the French duke Charles de Chaulnes. He was an ambassador of the French King in Rome, which explains the Italian inscription on his portrait: "Carlo Ducha di Chaulnes Amb(re) della corona di Francia. 1669" basically means "Charles, Duke of Chaulnes, Ambassador of the French Crown. 1669".

No idea how much interest such a painting generates in France (do they have a National Portrait Gallery?), and what it should be worth. It is a competent but far from brilliant portrait, and the sitter is not that important in the grand scheme of things, so the estimate may be not too far off. UPDATE: sold for $1,900, so quite a way above the estimate in the end!

Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, 1532: original?

Nye, auction house in New Jersey, sell on 2 June 2015 a portrait of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, dated 1532, estimated at $400 to $600 only.

If it is an original, it should be worth a lot more, mainly out of historical interest (there aren't that many contemporary portraits of this Holy Roman Emperor), but also art historically, as it isn't well painted but not that many Germanic portraits of that age survive.

In 1532, he wasn't yet the Emperor, but already king of Hungary and Bohemia (since 1526) and Romania (since 1531), which exactly matches the inscription on the panel. His age, given as 29, also matches his year of birth of 1503. So if this is a forgery, then the forger at least didn't make any very stupid mistakes with the chronology.

The painting doesn't seem to be a copy of a known portrait, but matches other portraits of the same sitter. From what I can see, there is no reason to doubt the authenticity of this portrait (any more than any old painting should be doubted), and in that case the estimate is very low, even though the painting isn't very decorative (he doesn't seem to have been a very attractive man). Every Central European history buff should love to have this painting on his wall, I would think. It wouldn't surprise me if this painting fetched $5,000 instead.

UPDATE: no idea what happened, apparently the estimate was drastically changed between my blog post and the auction, as it now states an estimate of $10,000 to $15,000, and a sale price of $8,000. Not that far off my estimate. No idea whether the auction house saw my blog post or someting else happened...

Copy of Van der Weyden

At Alcala, in Spain, they sell a small (30 by 41) "16th century Hispano-Flemish School" Lamentation, estimated at 1,500 Euro. UPDATE: sold for 1,700 Euro.

It is again evidence of the huge influence the Early Netherlandish painters (especially Van Eyck and Van der Weyden) had on early painting in Spain; in this case, it is a crude adaptation of Van der Weyden's "Lamentation" (multiple copies, the above is from the Brussels Museum). I don't know any other examples where the grail was added to the image though.

Another follower of Coxcie?

Turpin, French auction house, sells on 31 May 2015 an Ecce Homo by "Flemish School, 17th century, follower of Coxcie", estimated at 1,000 to 1,500 Euro. It is a different composition than the Coxcie Ecce Homo I presented two days ago though.

Dulwich Picture Gallery has the same composition, but in a worse copy (condition and artistic), attributed to a British painter of the 16th or 17th century. They presume that the original is late 16th century, and from Northern Italy, not Flanders.

Yet another version was sold at Van Ham a few years ago, attributed to Frans Francken II. It sold in 2007 for 850 Euro.

A better version than the previous two was sold at Christie's in 2003 for $2,100 as "Follower of Coxie". It doesn't have the quality of the one for sale now though. The current one seems somewhat underestimated. Who painted the original and what happened to it is unclear, just like with the other Coxcie "Ecce Homo".

UPDATE: thanks to a Hampel auction from 30 June 2016, it has become clear to me that the origin of this work is indeed Italian, a painting by Jacopo Ligozzi, which was popularized in Flanders by an engraving from Sadeler from 1596. Whether the one for sale is the original or also a copy is not clear, it seems to lack the fourth person, and doesn't look good enough to me. Could be a Ligozzi workshop copy of course. Estimate 20,000 to 25,000 Euro though!

A possible Aert Van der Neer

Spanish auction house Alcala sells, in a generally interesting auction, a "Dutch School, 18th century" landscape, estimated at 1,500 Euro. UPDATE: sold for 1,500 Euro.

It looks a lot like the works of Aert van der Neer, celebrated 17th century Dutch painter who specialized in these moonlit riverscapes. Of course, he had many followers and derivative artists, but the quality of the one for sale here is fairly good.

Nice Coxcie

Alcala, Spanish auction house, sells on 27 May 2015 a nice "Follower of Michel Coxcie" Ecce Homo, 122 by 90cm large and estimated at 2,000 Euro. UPDATE: sold for 2,250 Euro.

Another version of the same painting, somewhat smaller (105 by 82), different in the details, and generally in a much worse condition, sold for 4,000 Euro at Christie's in 2009, so either this one is severely underestimated or it is again evidence of the decline of the Old Master market (or both of course).

An original for this painting doesn't seem to be known, unless it is the one for sale now.

"17th century Flemish School" is copy of Raphael

Bukowski's sells on 2 June 2015 a "17th century Flemish School" transfiguration, a nice enough oil on copper estimated at 4,300 to 5,300 Euro.

No idea whether this copy is Flemish and/or 17th century (an "oil on copper" has a fair chance of being both, as it wasn't as often practices elsewhere and elsetime), but the original is by Raphael, now in the Vatican Museum. The estimate seems a tad high for this copy. UPDATE: unsold

Decline of the Old Masters market

Much has been said about the decline (or not) of the Old Masters market, and coupled with it the fact that you can buy good paintings quite cheap nowadays (not only comared to contemporary art, but also to the Old Master prices of ten years ago).

Many reasons have been given, including the lack of masterpieces on the market (true), and the shifted interest from the public from old masters to modern art (partly true, but especially so if you replace "the public" with "investors").

As an example, I noted the above painting, for sale at Balclis: a 16th century Epiphany, "Dutch School, circle of Jan van Scorel". It is estimated at only 3,000 Euro. "Only", as it is a good early painting, and because it sold at Christie's in 2001 for £7,050 as a "Circle of Jan Swart van Groningen" (and then it was unframed, now it comes fully framed!). The painting hasn't become any worse, the attribution, while changed, shouldn't make any difference in price, and having a "sold at Christie's" history shouldn't hurt a painting either. And still you can have it (according to the estimate) at less than half of the price it fetched 14 years ago, which is a terrible investment (if one ignores the fact that having such a painting on your wall for 14 years is priceless). Strangely, it was sold at the same auction house, Balclis, in October 2014 for 3,000 Euro. Either the buyer didn't pay, or his attempt to get a fast profit failed...

One anecdote isn't evidence of anything of course, but it's not the first time I've seen something like this.

Copy after Sebastiano del Piombo

At Il Ponte, Italian auction house, they sell a (quite damaged) Allegorical Figure by an unknown artist, estimated at 250 to 300 Euro.

It is a faithful copy of "La Fornarina", a famous painting by Sebastiano del Piombo from 1512, now in the Uffizi. A bit strange that an Italian auction hosue doesn't know this...

Perhaps it's more understandable from an American auctioneer like Susanin's, which sell on 30 May 2015 another copy, painted by Louis Bardi and estimated at $1,000 to $1,500.

Copy after Raphael

At Giraudeau in Tours, they sell on 1 June 2015 an "Italian school, 17th century" Holy Family, a large painting (190 by 125 cm) estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 Euro.

It is a reasonably well, rather academically executed but poorly conserved and dark copy after Raphael, "The Holy Family of Francis I", now in the Louvre. The estimate seems to be at the high side for a copy.

"Dutch School" is a Balthasar van den Bossche

Ansorena from Madrid sells on 20 May 2015 a "Dutch School, 17th or 18th century" painting of "The Collector", estimated at 3,000 Euro. It carries an old and obviously incorrect Gerrit Dou attribution, as indicated by the auction house.

Not for the first time, this is probably a painting by Balthasar van den Bossche, a very prolific one trick pony who is largely forgotten and whose works don't fetch a lot of money (around 5,000 Euro usually), despite being very decorative. I already posted about a similar work here. The painting shown here not only has the same general look and theme, it also has the exact same celestial globe on the right.

Copy after Rubens

In a generally interesting auction at Ansorena, Madrid, on 19 May 2015, they sell a "School of Sevilla, 17th or 18th century" Adoration of the Shepherds, estimated at 400 Euro.

It is a copy after Rubens, who obviously was very popular in Spain as well. The copy isn't very well painted, but charming in its attempt.

Better value for money may be something like lot 4, a Spanish anonymous Saint Jerome of rather high quality, which should fetch more than the estimated 800 Euro. I don't know enough about Spanish 17th century painting to point to any painter or school, but it is a better painting than what you usually get for this money from this age.

"Flemish School" might be a Hondecoeter

At Segre, auction house in Madrid, they sell on 19 May 2015 a "Flemish School, 17th century" picture of fowl, 106 by 30 cm, estimated at 4,000 Euro.

It is a very good painting in the style of Melchior de Hondecoeter. The very same hoopoe can be found in a "Studio of Hondecoeter" for sale at Sotheby's in 2014 for an estimated $40,000 to $60,000 (but not sold). Other birds, especially the cock, are pure Hondecoeter as well. While lacking the brilliance of a real Hondecoeter, it is a good example of "Studio" or "Circle" of Hondecoeter, and should be worth a lot more (20,000 Euro?)

Salvator Rosa drawing

At Ansorena, Madrid, in a very nice auction, they sell on 20 May 2015 an "Italian School, 17th or 18th century" drawing of soldiers, with a monogram S.R., estimated at 300 Euro.

The high quality of the drawing and the monogram immediately made me think of Salvator Rosa. Sure enough, the same (or a very similar) monogram appears in reverse on some etchings after Rosa. Even better, I've found the genuine Rosa etching with the same image. So, have we found a certain Salvator Rosa drawing, or has someone reproduced the etching in a drawing (which must have taken an awful lot of work and should in itself be worth more than the 300 Euro estimate). My gut feling (which is often wrong) says it is a true Rosa drawing, but please make up your mind or get professional advice if you decide to buy it!

A more certain study for one of the etchings of the same series (the "Figurine" series) sold for $27,400 at Christie's in 2008. That one was more of an early sketch, this one would be a final drawing, ready for the etcher.

"Attributed to Erasmus Quellius II" is a copy after an engraving after Rubens

At Jordaens, Belgian auction house, they sell on 19 May 2015 a, "Attributed to Erasmus Quellinus II" Batle of the Amazons, estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 Euro.

It seems doubtful that Quellinus would paint after an engraving after a Rubens. The ca. 1615 "Battle of the Amazons" is now in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. I doubt this copy is worth 5,000 Euro, if the buyers would get the right information.

"After the Old Master", no name needed!

At Chorley's, auction house in Gloucestershire, they sell on 19 May a nice painting with a strange description: "After the Old Master/Madonna and Child, St John and another child in a Landscape", a relatively large work (122 by 96) estimated at £2,000 to £3,000.

Apparently "the Old Master" is none other than "Van Dyck", and the work is simply known as "Charity", and can be found in the National Gallery. While the copy is competently painted, the colours are rather garish and all subtlety of the original is lost. May be worth its estimate, but not more probably. UPDATE: not sold