David Teniers the Younger Antwerp 1610 - 1690 Brussels

Gustaf Adolf Sparre (1746-1794);
Sparre inv., 1794, no. 51.

Kristianstad, 1977, no. 37.

Granberg, 1885-6, no. 57;
Göthe, 1895, pp. 26-27, no. 63;
Granberg, 1911, no. 78, reproduced plate 29;
Hasselgren, 1974, pp. 118 and 121, reproduced p. 189. 

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The oak panel is cradled. There is a slight deformation to the picture plane. There are areas where the paint surface is raised and unstable and previous paint loss has occurred. This can be seen on the open door to the left, where previous restoration has covered this paint loss, the table cloth (presence of blanched retouchings), the book and the flagons, lower left. Both the woman and physician's face show vertical striations, a result of raised wood grain in these areas which have been slightly abraded. Apart from those fragile areas of paint already mentioned, the paint surface generally is in a good condition; the delicate glazes are intact along with unbroken brushwork, even where the paint layer is thin. If the discoloured and degraded varnish were removed a tonal enhancement would be achieved."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Sparre must have had a particular liking for David Teniers, since his collection included eight paintings by the master.  This picture dates from the 1660s, and is to be compared with paintings of similar subjects from this period, such as the Village Doctor in the Staatliche Kunsthalle in Karlsruhe, where the physician and his patient are similarly posed, with medicine jars in the left corner.¹

We are grateful to Margret Klinge for confirming that this is an authentic work by David Teniers the Younger.

1.  Inv. No. 195; see J. Mack-Andrick, in M. Klinge & D. Lüdke, David Teniers der Jüngere 1610-1690, exhibition catalogue, Karlsruhe 2005, p. 302, no. 98, reproduced facing page.