Wednesday, 9 October 2019

A bas-relief after Rubens

Vanderkindere, from Belgium, sells on 15 October 2019 a "Flemish School, late 17th century" ivory bas-relief of the Judgment of Paris, estimated at 4,000 to 6,000 Euro.

The composition is remarkable, since it is taken from a painting by Rubens now in the Prado! It seems rather unusual to find such a work, already valuable at the time, which copies a painting instead of being an original composition. Something for the demanding Rubens' collector who wants something beyond their original paintings or drawings ;-) It is based on the (at the time) lesser known of the two versions of this story painted by Rubens, the other version was much more widely distributed tohrough engravings. Why and how this one was chosen is unclear.

Oh, and the hand coloured engraving attributed to Wierick Somers seems to be some misunderstanding: this set of engravings, coming from the "Théatre de la cruauté" by Richard Verstegen, is usually attributed to Johannes Wierix (an engraver), and not to Wierick Somers (same period, but a goldsmith).

UPDATE: sold for 6,400 Euro.

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