"Flemish painter, 17th century" is probably a workshop version by Thomas Willebroirts Bosschaert

Cambi, from Italy, sells on 4 May 2016 a "Flemish painter, 17th century" bacchanale, a very large painting (128 by 214 cmà estimated at 10,000 to 12,000 Euro.

It is a different version of a work by Thomas Willebroirt Bosschaert, nearly equally large but square. That version, which has as a bonus a much better background by Jan Davidsz de Heem, sold for $100,000 at Christie's in 1998.

The version for sale now is very good, but I would guess that it's a workshop version rather than a single-handed Bosschaert work. Looking at it in detail still shows a very attractive work, while most copies of such works fail in that regard.

As such, I would expect it to be worth closer to 20,000 Euro.

UPDATE: while many paintings in this auction seriously surpassed the estimates, this one barely fetched the minimum estimate of 10,000 Euro. It's a strange business.

"Follower of Van Dyck" is copy of Van Dyck's portrait of Jean de Montfort

Deutsch, from Germany, sells on 31 May 2016 a "Follower of Van Dyck" portrait of a man, estimated at 600 to 1,500 Euro (quite a wide range, that).

It is a badly damaged copy of the portrait of Jean de Montfor from the Uffizi. Without the damage, it should be worth a lot more, as it seems to be well painted; but restoring that damage will add some cost to the work of course. Still, at 600 Euro it would be a cheap buy.

"Dutch Master, 17th century" is copy after John Martin (England, 1789-1854)

Dr. Hüll, German auction house with a rather strange name, sells on 12 may 2016 a "Dutch Master, 17th century" Crucifixion, estimated at 1,500 Euro.

Which is one country and two centuries off. The painting is a copy (I suppose) from one of the more famous works by John Martin, an English painter who was very popular in his day. The original is kept at the Yale Center for British Art.

The image at the auction site isn't god enough to judge whether it can be an original by Martin or a copy, but the latter is a lot more likely. The other images, of the remnants of an old label at the back of the painting, show that it had been bought or owned by a Rev. Charles Maltby (?) in 1864, again pointing to an English origin of the work. Whether that label, on a relined work, is original to the painting is impossible to tell.

As an original, it should be worth 15,000 Euro instead of the estimate (although it has had some serious damage, so perhaps that's a tad optimistic). For a copy, the estimate seems about right. For a comparable 17th c. Dutch work, it would have been a bargain.

"Flemish School ca. 1600" is weak copy after Marten De Vos

Lempertz, from Germany, sells on 21 May 2016 a "Flemish School, ca. 1600" Marriage at Cana, a large (91 by 122) work presumably from Antwerp, estimated at 8,000 to 10,000 Euro.

It is a mediocre copy (fairly detailed, but without much talent) of a work by Marten de Vos from the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal in Antwerp. The original oozes luxury, renaissance ideals, and considerable talent (though it would soon be eclipsed by the generation of Rubens). The copy isn't completely identical, so it may be based on a variation of the work, but in any case is not an original composition nor the work of a named master.

Another painting, optimistically given to Frans Francken the Elder, is also related to this composition, but somewhat more remote.

The one for sale will struggle to fetch the estimate, anything above 5,000 Euro would really surprise me.

Old Master death of a martyr has gotten me stumped. Looks like a study by a very good painter!

Auktionshaus Saarbrücken, in Germany, sells on 14 May 2016 an "Old Master" Martyrium, estimated at 1,500 Euro. The description claims it to be Italian or Dutch (working in Italy), ca. 1680, a large canvas of 206 by 140cm.

It is an intriguing, rather good composition which lacks finesse in the details. Often this points to a copy, but in this case I wonder if it isn't a final study instead, as the details seem more unfinished than lacking in talent.

I can find no finished painting matching this work, and worse, I can find no artist to match it either. I have been looking at all kinds of names, from Veronese (Saint Afra pictured above) to Tiepolo, and many have some similarities, but so far I haven't found an artist or even more defined region or period which really fits.

So I'm stumped and intrigued, but I have the feeling that the estimate for this work is way, way too low and that someone out there will have spotted this and hopes he or she is the only one to have recognised this.

The girl in the middle may offer a clue to others as to date, origin or even artist. It didn't really help me though...

Flemish School, 16th century: link with Bernard van Orley

Lamas Bolano, from Spain, sells on 28 April 2016 a "Flemish School, 16th century" small Maria Lactans (31 by 22 cm) estimated at 12,000 Euro.

The nice work reminds me of a lot of artists of the period, foremost Jan Gossaert but also some others. Looking for comparable works, I cae across another Maria Lactans by Barend (or Bernard) van Orley, from a private collection. The position of the child (legs, hands) is nearly identical; the type of cushion also is very similar. The Van Orley painting is more static, sculpturesque while the one for sale is softer, more pictural.

No idea who painted it, probably not one of the major masters but someone close. The Master of the Holy Blood has some similar works, but like Orley is more sculptural.

The estimate seems about right, but it would be nice to know more about the painter and the origin of the composition.

UPDATE: a reader alerted me to a previous auction of this work: it was sold for 5,000 Euro at Alcala Subastas (also in Spain). It has been restored since then, and looks somewhat too clear now (may simply be due to the photo of course).

"Abraham van Dieperbeeck" (sic)? Perhaps, but certainly a copy after Rubens

Cambi sells on 4 May 2016 an "Abraham van Dieperbeeck" Susanna and the Elders, a large (130 by 165cm) canvas estimated at 10,000 to 15,000 Euro.

It is said to be signed ADP (?) and dated 1589 (?), which is hard to reconcile with the dates for Abraham van Diepenbeeck: 1596-1675. One would expect that, if Van Diepenbeeck used a signature, it would be AVD or at a stretch ADB, but ADP is simply weird. I can't find another artist who easily fits that monogram either though.

The painting is an adapted copy after a famous Rubens painting of Susannah, best known from an engraving by Lucas Vorsterman but also by some copies.

This version is good in the woman and the right of the two elder men, but the other man, the fountain, and the background, are a bit strange and look to modern to me. I wouldn't dare spend 10,000 Euro on it, certainly not without more information (like close-ups of the monogram and date).