Floris van Schooten

With Galerie van Diemen (Jakob and Rosa Oppenheimer), The Hague and Berlin, from at least 1925;
Their forced liquidation sale Berlin, Paul Graupe, April 26-27, 1935, vol.II, lot 86;
Anonymous sale ("The Property of a Lady"), London, Christie's, March 25, 1977, lot 92;
Anonymous sale, London Phillips, Son and Neale, December 6, 1983, lot 27;
Private collection, USA;
Restituted to the heirs of Jakob and Rosa Oppenheimer in 2009.

The Hague, Haags Gemeentemuseum, Nederlandsche stillevens uit viff eeuwen, 1926, cat. no. 4;
Brussels, Palais des Beaux- Arts, La Nature-Morte Hollandaise, 1929, cat. no. 86;
Amsterdam, Kunsthandel J. Goudsikker, Het stilleven, February 18-March 19,1933, cat. no. 278;
Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art; Boston, Museum of Fine Arts, Still Lifes of the Golden Age, Northern European Paintings from the Heinz Family Collection, May 1989-December 1989, cat. no. 33.

 

 

Nederlandsche stillevens uit viff eeuwen, exhibition catalogue, The Hague 1926, cat. no. 4, reproduced p. 5;
De gedekte tafel in vijf. Tentoonstelling ten bate von de Centrale Vereeniging voor Lichamelijk Gebrekkigen, exhibition catalogue, Hags Gemeentemuseum,The Hague 1928, p. 38, reproduced;
De gedekte tafel in vijf eeuwen. Tentoonstelling ten bate van de Stichting Amsterdamsche Kolonie-verpleging voor kinderen, exhibition catalogue, Kunsthandel Goudstikker, Amsterdam1928, p. 48, reproduced;
La Nature- morte hollandaise, exhibition catalogue, Brussels 1929, cat. no. 86,  reproduced fig. 21;
E. Zarnowska, La Nature-Morte Hollandaise, exhibition catalogue, Brussels 1929, cat. no. 86;
Het stilleven, exhibition catalogue, Kunsthandel Goudstikker, Amsterdam 1933, cat. no. 278, reproduced fig. 7;
A.P.A. Vorenkamp, Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van het Hollandsch stilleven in de zeventiende eeuw, Leiden 1933, p. 14;
H.E. van Gelder, W.C. Heda, A. van Beyeren, W. Kalf, Amsterdam 1941, p. 7;
W. Martin, De Hollandsche schilderkunst in de zeventiende eeuw, Frans Hals en zijn tijd, vol. II, Amsterdam 1942, p. 284, reproduced;
N.R.A. Vroom, A Modest Message as Intimated by the Painters of the 'Monochrome bakeje', vol. II, Schiedam 1945, p. 10, cat. no. 249, reproduced figs. 1,85;
P. Gammelbo, "Floris Gerritsz. van Schooten," in Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek (XVIII) 1966, cat. no. 5, reproduced fig. 4;
N.R.A. Vroom, A Modest Message as Intimated by the Painters of the 'Monochrome bakeje', Schiedam 1980, vol. I, p. 13, reproduced p.15, fig. 1, vol. II,  p. 112, cat. no. 563;
S.A. Sullivan, The Dutch Game Piece, 1984, p. 14, reproduced fig. 19;
I. Bergström, Still Lifes of the Golden Age, Northern European Paintings from the Heinz Family Collection, Washington and Boston 1989, pp. 124-25, reproduced in color, p. 80.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting on canvas has been lined with wax as an adhesive. While this lining is easily reversible it is stabilizing the surface quite well at present. The paint layer is more or less clean. The cracking is beginning to become raised, in the face of the mother for instance, yet it is not unsightly. The picture seems to be un-retouched in many areas and it is more than likely that the picture was lined yet not retouched, mainly because it requires none. It is only in one area around the handle on the right side of the large copper bowl on the table in the center, where a structural repair has been affected, and another spot between the arms of the mother for similar reasons. There are a few tiny dots of restoration in the mother's face yet essentially the painting is unrestored; there are even some un-retouched pale colored fillings visible in the upper right and in the head of the child. The lining should be reversed to effect a better and non acidic surface, and to retouch the painting where necessary. Overall however, the condition is extremely good.
"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."

Unlike many still life painters, Van Schooten did not confine himself to a specific type of picture, but was equally comfortable with breakfast pieces, fruit pieces, market scenes and large kitchen pieces, such as the present work.  These kitchen pieces ultimately derive from the paintings of Pieter Aertsen and Joachim Beuckelaer, but Van Schooten simplifies the format, creating a greater sense of order and stability.  We see that here in the long horizontal lines of the shelf and table and the rhythmic alternation of plates and bowls arranged on the shelf.  The Kitchen Scene has been dated to the beginning of the 1620s, relatively early in Van Schooten's career and before he fell under the influence of Claesz. and Heda.¹

1.  See Literature, I. Bergström, p. 125.