Friday 23 October 2015

Family prayer before the meal

Henry's, from Germany, sells on 31 October a "Flemish Master of the 17th century" Family before the evening meal, estomated at 600 to 1,300 Euro.

I seem to remember that it was offered a few months ago with a higher estimate, but didn't sell then. I can't find an artist or direct example for this interesting work, but I have found some similar examples.

The closest is the above Adriaen Van Ostade (image from the Rijksmuseum), a poor family before the meal. The family in the picture for sale seems somewhat better off, but still not an obviously wealthy family. The clothing of the boy in both paintings is similar as well, which probably dates the one for sale to the same period as the Ostade from 1653.

Family portraits were common in 17th century Dutch and Flemish painting (I think this one is more Dutch than Flemish), but usually were either the rich and powerful, or the moralising works by Jan Steen and the like. The circle of Van Ostade and similar artists is about the only one that depicted these more everyday family events, and that makes this, despite the relative lack of artistic value or attribution, an interesting and worthwhile painting. A curio, but a nice enough one.

UPDATE: sold for 750 Euro.

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