Gabriel Metsu Leiden 1629 - 1669 Amsterdam

Gustaf Adolf Sparre (1746-1794);
Sparre inv., 1794, no. 43.
Offered London, Christie's, 14^th December 1990, lot 122, estimate £120-160,000, unsold.

Stockholm, 1884, no. 109, reproduced plate 109;
Stockholm, 1967, no. 99, (p. 81 in the catalogue);
Kristianstad, 1977, no. 26. 

Granberg, 1885-6, no. 39;
Göthe, 1895, p. 21, no. 41;
C. Hofstede de Groot, A Catalgoue Raisonné..., vol. I, London 1907, pp. 318-19, no. 201;
Granberg, 1911-12, no. 375, reproduced plate 21;
Kjellberg, 1966, p. 344;
Hasselgren, 1974, pp. 117, 127, reproduced p. 180;
F.W. Robinson, Gabriel Metsu (1629-1667).  A Study of His Place in Dutch Genre Painting of the Golden Age, New York 1974, p. 48, reproduced p. 168, fig. 111.

"The following condition report has been provided by Sarah Walden, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is on a strong, undented copper panel. There is one slanting old retouched scratch in the background just above and almost parallel with the pipe. The recent restoration includes a scattering of small retouchings, many apparently superficial : one small vertical retouching in the left brim of the hat could be a scrape, a small cluster on the central knee perhaps covers a small flake or two, a broad retouched brush stroke up one of the struts at the back of the chair could perhaps be gratuitous, as might be several seemingly casual dashes of retouching in the dark drapery, although two by the elbow may be more substantial. The drapery does not seem to be worn generally, however the dark doorway on the right does appear thin and has some strengthening touches. There are other little strokes of older slightly darkened retouching in the panelling at lower right that are clearly superficial. The final letter of the quite strong signature has a small damage and a patch of retouching possibly overlapping some original, with a makeshift line of a composite replacement letter. The head is in extremely good condition, as is the still life, and the vivid brushwork is well preserved largely throughout. This report was not done under laboratory conditions."
"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."

Frank Robinson groups this picture with over a dozen others, all of single figures, which he dates to Metsu's early Amsterdam period, in the late 1650s or around 1660.   Adriaan Waiboer suggests a more precise dating at the beginning of Metsu's Amsterdam period, circa 1655-6.  Dr. Waiboer, who will include this picture in his planned catalogue raisonné of Gabriel Metsu, believes that this is the only known work by Metsu on copper. 

1. See under Literature.
2. Email communication.