"Style of Pieter Coecke" compared to an original by Master of 1518

Neumeister, from Germany, sells on 28 September 2016 two wings of a triptych "in the style of Pieter Coecke", estimated at 3,000 to 4,000 Eur.

The panels are 77 cm high . Possibly they were a lot higher and not square originally: other triptych with the same or similar wings usually have sculpted, gothical frames.

These may be the work of the so-called Master of 1518 (who is probably Jan van Dornicke), the father-in-law of Pieter Coecke van Aelst.

The center of the triptych was probably an adoration of the magi (which fits chronologically nicely between the nativity/adoration of the shepherds on the left, and the flight to Egypt on the right). Other comparable works have the same iconography, or replace the Flight to Egypt with a Circumcision.

In 2010, Sotheby's New York sold a great triptych by the Master of 1518 (exceeding the estimate at nearly $700,000). The wings of that triptych are slightly larger than the ones here (43 cm wide instead of 25 cm), but the composition is identical. This gives a good idea what kind of central panel you have to find to complete this triptych again...

The left wing (Sothebys left, for sale right). It varies in details (the poor child has no cloth beneath it in the version for sale), but is otherwise clearly the same. The new version seems to be slightly more modern (the flesh tones in the faces) and painted a bit less precise, but is still a work of high quality and looks to be authentic.

The right wing (again Sotheby's left, version for sale right) as well is clearly the same work: here though the new version seems to have made more accommodations for the smaller format, slightly turning the ass to the spectator. This shows the skill of the copyist and indicates that he was an artist in his own right. This also indicates clearly that the smaller format is not due to cutting down the panels, but was the intention from the start.

In the background, and more visible in the new version, one can see a  decapitated statue (in the new version one can identify the other half lying on the ground). The exact meaning is unclear to me, but presumably this is either evil or the devil defeated by the birth of Christ, or a symbolic representation of the death of the innocent children (the immediate cause for the flight to Egypt).

Other versions of these wings have been attributed to Circle of Master of 1518 (RKD). This one is even smaller than the one for sale, and less well painted or preserved. It was coupled with an annunciation in this case.

Most versions attributed to Coecke or his studio have some differences (e.g. at the Nativity Maria and Joseph sit on the same side of the child), but a few are clearly the same composition. The top one (Circle of Coecke, RKD) is a smaller and simplified version, missing e.g. the angel above the Nativity. The second picture is from a better painting, attributed to the Studio of Coecke (RKD). Again, the angel flying above the Nativity is missing. Both versions also have a different monument in the background of the Flight to Egypt. In that image, Maria hasa whote cloak instead of a blue one. Other differences also connect the two above triptychs but somewhat distance them from the one for sale.

The one for sale seems to be the closest to the original of the Master of 1518, and probably painted directly from it. Copies from Pieter Coecke and his studio, even the most faithful ones (like the ones displayed here), tend to have more differences already, staying less close to the original.

The two wings for sale are clearly by the same hand (as could be expected). Whether they are copies by the Master of 1518, copies by Pieter Coecke, or made by someone else in that circle, is hard to tell. But they are very cheap and should easily fetch 10,000 Euro.

UPDATE: sold for 8,255 Euro, more than double the estimate, so they were indeed very cheap.