Cats: the concert

Salle des Ventes de Chinon, in France, sells on 27 November 2019 a "Flemish school, 18th century" cat's concert, estimated at 1,200 to 1,500 Euro.

The work seems to come from the same workshop as one sold at Sotheby's in 2012 for £8,125, described as Flemish ca. 1700. The image is reversed, but many elements are nearly identical. While the one for sale is slightly less precise painted, the price difference is rather large.

A similar work of better quality was sold at Sotheby's in 2013 for $15,000, and was then described as Lombard School, ca. 1700.

Interestingly, the Met Museum has an engraving dated before 1771, by the Swiss Balthasar Anton Dunker, which shows a painting supposedly by Jan Brueghel, from the collection of the Duke of Choiseul. One can even wonder if the one sold at Sotheby's isn't the same one that was then said to be the work of Jan Brueghel, considering the old French noble provenance of that one ("Prince and Princess Henry De la Tour d'Auvergne Lauraguais").

Another version of that work was said to be by Ferdinand van Kessel and dated 1696.

A fragment of a painting with the same orientation as the one for sale now is offered by art dealer Mahringer in Austria. This one stays closer to the engraving than the one offered here though. 

All in all, a standard version of an interesting composition with quite a few copies. This one seems somewhat underrated compared to the prices some better versions have fetched.

"In the manner of Brueghel" is (workshop?) copy after Jan Breughel the Younger

Brussels Art Auctions, from Belgium, sells on 9 October 2018 a "17th century Flemish School, in the manner of Brueghel" village market, a small work (28 by 37) estimated at 3,000 to 3,500 Euro.

While they probably intended Pieter Brueghel with the reference to a Brueghel, the work is actually based on a painting by Jan Breughel the Younger (1601-1678).

I first noticed it through this study, sold at Sotheby's in 2008 for £115,000. The work for sale is a quasi identical copy, down to many of the colours, and has about the same size (24 by 35)

But only the lower portion (the part below the yellow line) is copied completely, and as far as I can see nothing from above the line.

A monotype drawing for this work also exists, as can be found on the website of Onno Van Seggelen, a major dealer in Old Master drawings. This drawing lacks some figures which can be seen in the Sotheby's painting, and a few of those appear in the work for sale, so this drawing has no direct bearing on this copy, but is unusual and interesting to show anyway. That page gives us a date for the study: ca. 1620.

Sotheby's sold in 2009 one other version of this painting, now attributed to Jan Brueghel the Elder and Joos de Momper. A much larger work (59 by 87), it fetched £85,000. This one includes all of the study, and has the same winter setting.

So where does this land the work for sale? At first sight, it looks a lot worse than the Breughel, but this seems at least partly due to dirt on the painting, and the change of a winter setting to an autumn(?) setting, which makes everything a lot more brownish.

Identical details from both show how close the execution of the work for sale actually is to the original, down to most details and to the precision in it (remember that this isn't a large work).

To follow this work so closely, the artist needs to have had the original (the study or another version) in front of them, which coupled with the clear quality of the work increases the chances of this being a workshop copy, and not some random later copy. It should then be worth closer to 10,000 Euro.

UPDATE: the work has been thoroughly cleaned, and doesn't really look better. I don't know if the cleaning has revealed pre-existing problems, or whether some new ones have been created, but it hasn't become more attractive, which is a pity. It is now for sale with Githart in Germany on 9 May 2020, with an estimate of 6,500 Euro. The description matches my above analysis (independently, or have they simply used my work, no idea...)

A very small copy after Jan Brueghel

Castor Hara, from France (part of the Drouot group), sells on 8 June 2018 a "Flemish School, 18th century" very small (5,5 by 7 cm!) watercolour of the Danse of the Children, estimated at 150 to 250 Euro.

It is, considering the scale, a very good copy of a painting I already discussed in October last year. The original is by Jan Brueghel, and many copies exist of the charming scene.

The copy is very well painted for such a small scale, and the estimate seems low for this work (which may well be 17th century). I would expect this to go for 600 to 800 Euro instead.

"Jacob Boutats" is manner or circle of Jan Brueghel II

Hotel de Ventes de Monte Carlo, in Monaco, sells on 28 April 2018 a "Jacob Boutats" Bird concert, a small (27 by 37 cm) oil on panel estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 Euro.

The RDK lists three other (even smaller) versions of the same composition, but attributes them to "Circle of Jan Brueghel II" (1, 2, 3). Among the six works by Jacob Bouttats they list are no really similar works, but all have Brueghel-like (or Roelant Savery-like) animals in them in scenes from Paradise or Orpheus. I can find one other copy of this work much larger at 64 by 52 cm) which was sold as "Circle of Bouttats" in 1997, but without further indications this seems rather speculative.

This panel was offered at Artcurial in 2013 as "Flemish School, early 17th century, workshop of Jan Brueghel". The estimate seems about right, even though this is a good but not the best copy of this work.

UPDATE: now on 26 September 2019 for sale at Hampel, Germany, with the same estimate and "attributed to Jacob Bouttats".

"Flemish school" is copy after Jan Brueghel

Horta, from Belgium, sells on 26 March 2018 a "Flemish School, 17th century" Diana as huntress, estimated at 10,000 to 12,000 Euro.

The work is a reasonably well executed but simplified copy of an original by Hendrick Van Balen and Jan Brueghel. A much better copy was sold at Lempertz in November 2017 for 27,000 Euro. Strangely enough, the work was until recently for sale with a correct attribution at antique dealer Jan Muller.

The original from 1620 is kept in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It is said to be by Jan Brueghel and the workshop of Rubens.

The work for sale is probably worth around 5,000 Euro.

"Anonymous" is copy after Jan Brueghel

Loeckx, from Belgium, sells on 30 January 2018 an "Anonymous, 17th century" Golgotha, estimated at 1,500 to 2,000 Euro.

This is a copy after Jan Brueghel, a Crucifixion now in the Alte Pinakothek. As so often with these copies after a good work, the version for sale is pleasing to look at but falls short when seen in detail, because the composition shows the skill of the original artist, but in the details one sees the lack of talent the copiist had. There are some differences between the work, so it may be that the copy is based on another version of this work, not the Munich version, but the basic similarity plus the many identical persons and groups are telling enough.

Still, at 1,500 Euro this seems like a fair price, and it gives me a good reason to show a very good Brueghel.

UPDATE: for sale on 8 April 2018 in Saint Omer, in the north of France, for an unknown estimate, with description "Dutch School, 17th century". If the estimate is lower now (or better still, it is sold without a reserve), this may be a small bargain.

UPDATE 2: sold for 5,000 Euro!

From a 2.5K Circle of Jan Brueghel to a 130K Adrian van Stalbemt in one year!

Galerie Bassenge, from Germany, sells on 1 December 2017 an "Adriaen van Stalbemt" Allegory of the Four Elements, estimated at 130,000 to 140,000 Euro.

It was for sale last year at Cambi, in Italy, with an estimate of 2,500 to 3,000 Euro, attributed to the circle of Jan Brueghel II. I discussed this clearly underestimated work in November 2016, correcting the description (they thought it an allegory of the seasons instead). I cautiously estimated it at 10,000 Euro at least, but it easily surpassed even that to end up with a sale price of 32,000 Euro.

Now it has been cleaned and attributed to Adriaen van Stalbemt. Some caution should be taken with that attribution, Dr. Klaus Ertl is writing a catalogue raisonnée of van Stalbemt at the moment and seems sometimes overenthusaistic in attributing everything somewhat related to Van Stalbemt. Having said that, it clearly is a work by a good painter and deserves further attention.

I doubt though that it will fetch more than 100,000 Euro, that seems steep in any case.

UPDATE: apparently not sold, now on 24 April 2018 for sale at Kinsky, for 70,000 to 140,000 Euro.  I hope for whoever bought it that the painting didn't reach its peak during the bid battle in 2016 and will fail to sell again!

"Attributed to Desiderio Monsù" is copy after Jan Brueghel

Hampel, from Germany, sells on 5 July 2017 an "Attributed to François de Nomé, known as Monsù Desiderio" Burning of Troy, estimated at 5,000 to 7,000 Euro.

It is a copy after Jan Brueghel the Elder, who painted the same composition a few times. One copy is in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, while the other was on the market in Amsterdam in 2005 (both via janbrueghel.net which is an interesting site). A third version was for sale at Christie's in 2004 (via RKD).

The works are not completely identical, but it is very clear that they have the same origin. The figures in the Hampel version are not good enough by far to be by Brueghel though. I also doubt that the ork has anything to do with Monsù, who painted usually more abandoned scenes, not a crowded one like here, and who seems to be unlikely as a copyist anyway.

A copy of the Brueghel was sold at Hampel as well, in 2015, and was then attributed to Pieter Schoubroeck (image via RKD)

The work for sale also reminds me of Louis de Caullery, but will likely simply remain anonymous. The estimate may be a bit too high, closer to 3,000€ may be more realistic, but it certainly is an interesting work.

The most decent Adam and Eve ever...

Freeman's, from the United States, sells on 23 January 2017 a "Flemish School, early 17th century" Fall of Men, an oil on copper estimated at $2,000 to $3,000.

The painting is firmly in the style of Jan Brueghel or Roeland Savery, well-painted but not good enough to be by either.

What is remarkable about this version though is that Adam and Eve have been at some point heavily censured, making them probably the most clothed Fall of Men ever. It kind of defeats the whole point of the story, which is that until then they were innocent and unaware that they should be ashamed of their nudity. It looks to me as if they have been completely overpainted, not just some clothes added, as e.g. the snake is much better painted than the faces of the two protagonists as well.

The price is probably about right, but the art historical value may be bigger, as rare evidence of what happens to taste and prudity over the ages. If it was my painting, I would get it researched (to see what remains beneath the clothes), but not removed, as it is more interesting with the clothes than without in this case.

"Four seasons" is actually "Four elements"

Cambi, from Italy, sells on 15 November 2016 a "Cercle of Jan Brueghel II" Allegory of the seasons, estimated at 2,500 to 3,000 Euro.

It actually is an "Allegory of the Elements" (water, air, fire and earth). It is similar to many such works made by Jan Brueghel I (together with Hendrick van Balen) and Jan Brueghel II (together with Jan van Balen).

The closest is a work by a follower of Jan Brueghel I and the Studio of Jan van Balen, which was for sale at Tajan in 1995 (found through RKD). While none of the elements can be said to be directly copied, the overall effect and structure is very similar.

Another version of that work can be found at Stourhead, a National Trust property in Warminster. 

The work is well detailed, not some rushed copy, and should be the work of skilled artists, although probably later than Jan Brueghel I. The third detail above shows "fire", a smithy being worked, and is indicative of how detailed and intriguing some of the background elements are.

Whether it is an original composition or based on another work is not clear, these works were often produced in series (as the above RKD example shows), but I haven't found other versions of this one.  But it seems to me authentic, 17th century, from the circle or even the workshop of Jan Brueghel II.

The work for sale is seriously underestimated in my opinion, getting this for 2,500 Euro would be a steal, and I would estimate it at at least 10,000 Euro.

UPDATE: sold for 32,000 Euro! Seriously underestimated indeed...

Flemish Noli me Tangere is partial copy after Rubens or Jan Brueghel II

Hampel, from Germany, sells on 30 June 2016 a "Flemish Master, 17th century" Noli Me Tangere, estimated at 5,000 to 6,000 Euro.

The same composition can be found multiple times in other works, most attributed to Jan Brueghel II. The best copy, from the Rijksmuseum, is painted in the circle of Rubens. A variation with a straighter standing Christ also exists.

The one for sale, being a copy of lesser quality (and of later date, perhaps 18th century), will struggle to reach the estimate, and is probably worth closer to 3,000 Euro.

UPDATE: Hampel asked me in June 2017 to remove this post (the image and the information) because without permission of the owner of the painting, this was a copyright infringement. Which, obviously, it isn't, and is a preposterous claim. I guess they (owner and auction house) don't like it when I claim that their estimate  is way too high, but to censor this by claiming a copyright infringement and trying to get me to remove my analysis is poor form.

UPDATE 2: Hampel again demanded that I removed the image, or else they would set their lawyers on it. I again told them that they could go and waste their money on lawyers if  they have money to spare, but they don't own the copyright on the image in any case. In 2015, a year before Hampel, the painting was sold at Duesseldorf Auctions (for 600 Euro)...

"Attributed to Jan Brueghel the Younger" is a copy after him

Deutsch, from Austria, sells on 31 May 2016 an "Attributed to Jan Brueghel the Younger" Allegory of Flora, estimated at 1,200 to 2,500 Euro.

It is a good, partial copy of a genuine Brueghel, an "Allegory of Spring" from a private collection. But it seems highly unlikely that Brueghel has had a hand in that copy, it lacks his finesse and style.

Still, as a highly attractive painting with a Brueghel composition and colouring, it should easily fetch the upper estimate.

"Antwerp Master" is by or copy of Jan Brueghel the Younger (or is it Lucas van Leyden)

Hampel sells on 7 April 2016, in an interesting but not always very well researched auction (considering the long number of posts it will spawn), a "Master from Antwerp, early 17th century" Rest on the flight to Egypt, estimated at 20,000 to 25,000 Euro.

The central figure can be found in at least two works by Jan Brueghel the Younger, from the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna (1, 2)

The work for sale is very good, but I'm not certain that it is good enough to be a real Brueghel. Tthe quality of the works accepted as genuine ones differs wildly though; in any case, this isn't one of his masterpieces that fetches millions, but if accepted as a genuine Jan Brueghel it should be worth closer to 100,000 Euro probably.

Slam dunk, or so I thought until I came across an Adoration by or after Lucas Van Leyden, sold at Sotheby's in 2002. The painting for sale copies even the basket from this version, but the position of the head of the child is the same as in the topmost Vienna version, while the bottom Vienna version and the Leyden version show another position.

Considering that the remainder of the painting for sale has strong resemblances to the works of Jan Brueghel (not just the two pictured here, but in general), I still think looking at that relation is the most interesting here: but I don't know if the borrowing by Brueghel of elements from Leyden is common (and commonly known) or not.

UPDATE: not sold