Elias Vonck

Dr. Gustav Arens, Vienna;
Lise Haas (née Arens), Vienna;
Confiscated and stored at the Depot Wien I, Wollzeile, Vienna;
Restituted May 1948 and thence by descent.

S. Lillie, Was einmal war: Handbuch der enteigneten Kunstsammlungen Wiens, Vienna 2003, p. 98, inv. no. 48.

The canvas has an old relining and there is a slight cleavage between the two layers in the upper right hand corner. The paint surface is in a good and stable condition despite its raw state. There are abrasions and minor losses along the edges, three tears, center left, have been stabilized with rice paper and a further crack is present in the body of the hare. A reading under UV is impeded by a dirty, yellowed varnish. The painting has not been attended to in some time and would benefit from cleaning and the attention of a restorer. Offered in a carved gilt wood frame with some knocks and losses.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

We are grateful to Fred Meijer of the RKD, The Hague for confirming the attribution.  He dates it as a relatively early work by Vonck, datable to the second half of the 1630s.

Vonck was born in Amsterdam and worked as a painter there before 1631, though there are no dated works known before 1640.  Due to the presence of Flemish influences in his game pieces, it is supposed that Vonck may have spent time in Antwerp in the 1630s, thought this is not documented.¹  His son, Jan Vonck (1631-1663/64) was also a still life painter.

1.  See A. van der Willigen and F.G. Meijer, A Dictionary of Dutch and Flemish Still-life Painters Working in Oils 1525-1725, Leiden 2003, p. 209.