"17c. Venetian" is poor copy after Rubens (plus cheaper and better "Italian" copy)

Viscontea, auction house from Milan, Italy, sells on 26 September 2016 a "17th century Venetian School" Judgment of Solomon (120 by 91 cm), estimated at 1,500 to 3,000 Euro.

While it may have been painted by someone from Venice, it actually is a very poor and dark copy of a rather famous work by Rubens from about 1617, now in the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark.

It will struggle to sell for more than 1,000 Euro.

On the other hand, Pforzheim (also from Germany) sells on 1 October 2016 another copy of the same work, described this time as "Italian School, 2nd half 17th c.", but estimated at 800 Euro only (and it's bigger as well, 159 by 150 cm!).
It still is a pretty weak copy, but much better and more attractive than the Viscontea one.

Topsy-turvy

Lux, from Germany, sells on 24 September 2016 an "Unknown master, 19th century" Drehbild, a type of trompe-l'oeil which gives a different image right way up or upside down. "Turn image" would be the literal translation, I don't know whether a real term for this exists in English. The estimate is only 150 Euro.

This type of painting seems to be very rare. A famous early example are the "Reversibe Head" and "The Cook" by Giuseppe Arcimbaldo (who loved to play with images). In Germany, the satirical magazines like the Fliegende Blätter often had

The one for sale here is somewhat forced, neither image is terribly convincing (the pig is good enough, but the face has some very strange aspects), but as a highly unusual example of this specific type of trompe-l'oeil I believe it should be worth closer to 1,000 Euro than the very low estimate.

Not Marten but Frederik van Valckenborch

Ursula Nusser, from Germany, sells on 20 September 2016 an "Atributed to Martin van Valckenborch" Masked ball, estimated at 1,000 Euro.

This fairly unusual subject is absent from the works of Marten van Valckenborch, but is a few times painted by Frederic van Valckenborch though. He was the son of Marten and is not a very important painter, but this is an agreeable painting with an attractive estimate.

Most of his works feature more figures and life, but the style seems comparable. The above is from the RKD, from an art dealer in Oegstgeest, the Netherlands.

"Attributed to Hendrick Aerts" is copy after engraving

Hampel, from Germany, sells on 22 September 2016 an Attributed to Hendrick Aerts, ca. 1575" view of a Gothic Church with people, estimated at 15,000 to 20,000 Euro.

It is a depiction of the interion of the Saint John of Laterans, in Rome. For some reason this work has often been copied, but no oiriginal by Aerts seems to be known. So the question is whether this is the original, or another copy. While it at first glance is a very good version, it falls a bit flat when seen upclose. Further research shows that this is due to the fact that it is closest to the engraving of the original made by Jan van Londerseel around 1600, apart from the praying pope in the front which has simply disappeared in the painting.

Other copies of the painting are usually less close to the engraving, as the above examples show (top one from was for sale at Jean Moust, bottom one painted by Pieter Neeffs the elder).

Looking at details, the engraving is always more precise, a lot clearer about what is being shown, while the painting often only suggests what is there. So the sad conclusion is that this as well isn't the original by Aerts, and most likely not by him at all.

One original by Aerts was sold at Bonham's in 2000 for about the current estimate: but works like this, copies of this work by anonymous  followers of Aerts, have sold for about 5,000 Euro the past few years, and I would estimate this one at the same.

The unpredictability of auctions

Offered in Maastricht on 13-16 June 2014, est. 2,000 to 3,000 Euro: not sold.

Offered at same auction house, 26-29 September 2014, est. 800 to 1,200 Euro: not sold.

Offered at same auction house, 11-14 March 2016, estimate 1,000 to 2,000 Euro: sold for 2,700 Euro.

Now for sale at Hargesheimer, Germany, 24 September 2016: estimate 800 Euro.

Art really isn't an exact science.

UPDATE: sold for 1,700 Euro. Weird...

"16th c. Flemish" is another good copy after Benson or Isenbrant

Hargesheimer, from Germany, sells on 24 September 2016 a "Flemish Master, 16th century" Virgin and Child, a rather large version (107 by 76) on panel estimated at 800 Euro.

I have already blogged about other versions of this very popular work twice (June 2015 and December 2015). This one seems to be considerably better than the first one, which sold for 1,700 Euro.

It can be compared to e.g. the Carrickfergus Madonna, from the Ulster Museum, which is given as anonymous Flemish, early 16th, and has very similar dimensions. The curtains in the work for sale seem to be a later addition, the flowers may be original (I haven't immediately found another example that shows them though). 

While it doesn't look to be an original by Benson or Isenbrandt, it is a good copy, and should easily fetch 2,000 Euro or more.

Meanwhile, at Hampel (also from Germany), you can buy on 22 September 2016 another version, attributed to the School of Isenbrant and of similar dimensions, estimated at 24,000 to 28,000 Euro. While it has a much better background, the Virgin and Child are not really superior to the one at Hargesheimer (e.g; the hands are worse at Hampel), and it seems seriously overpriced to me.

UPDATE: the 800 Euro Hargesheimer one sold for 6,500 Euro, and the 24,000 Euro Hampel one remained unsold. 

Cheap Flemish "Saint Jerome" is based on Titian (plus a copy after Correggio)

Hargesheimer, from Germany, sells on 24 September a "Flemish Master, first half of the 17th century"  Saint Jerome, a 93 by 121 cm large canvas estimated at 400 Euro.

While the work is damaged, it is a well-painted work and an absolute bargain at that price. The Jerome is a close copy of the same saint painted by Titian in 1575, now in the Escorial. The painting for sale is somewhat more line-based and less colour-based than the Titian, and made by a good artist but not by someone of the calibre of the Ventian master. Whether the additions to the left are inventions by the copiist or are evidence that the Titian was originally larger is not clear to me at the moment. The somewhat weird way the lion is cut off in the Titian may point to the latter possibility, which would make this work a lot more interesting (depending on how many copies of the full Titian are still around).

The work for sale could do with a thorough cleaning, a lot is happening in the background that is barely visible anymore (e.g. the two figures in a boat on the left, and a lion at the middle bottom). It should be worth at least 1,000 Euro without even guessing at the artist or knowing the exact relation to the original Titian work.

UPDATE: sold for 800 Euro, double the  estimate.

Oh, and at the same sale there is an "Antwerp Master, middle 17th century" mother and child, a small (31 by 34) but attractive work estimated at only 400 Euro. It turns  out to be a copy after "La Zingarella" by Correggio, a ca. 1517 work now in the National Museum in Naples.

UPDATE: sold for 700 Euro.