Joseph van Bredael

Mr J. Dupuis, Forest-lez-Bruxelles, Belgium;
By inheritance to his wife, Mrs. Dupuis-Frantz;
Sale, Brussels, Palais des Beaux- Arts, 1964, to the uncle of the present owner (as Jan Brueghel the Younger).

Y. Thiéry, Le paysage flamand au XVII^e siècle, Paris 1953, p. 179 (as Jan Brueghel II).

The panel is flat and appears to be very stable. The corners are undamaged. There is craquelure throughout, partially filled in. The signature monogram is crisp and very llegible. There is a reddish surface stain by the right hand edge, half way down, which should be straight forward to clean off. The tiniest details in this work are still intact: facial features, the fine rigging of the fishing vessels, the church spire in the far distance. The detail of the many charming narrative passages has not worn away and they are clear to read and enjoy: a pair of men looking over the side of a boat into the water, a crowd bartering for fresh fish, flirting, gossiping, an old lady struggling with her load. The reeds in the foreground are probably slightly worn and have lost some of their crispness. But the paint surface of the clothing of the figures and the birds in the air is well- preserved. Inspection with UV light reveals the aforementioned infilling of craquelure in the sky, concentrated in the the centre. There are a numebr of dot retouchings in the lower right, and very few others scattered throughout the composition. Otherwise the work is untouched and has clearly been well- looked after. This lovely panel is offered in a giltwood frame, old and worn but structurally sound.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The composition derives from Jan Breughel the Elder's original, formerly with Galerie Koetser, Zurich (K. Ertz and C. Nitze-Ertz, Jan Brueghel: Der Ältere (1568-1625): Kritischer Katalog der Gemälde, Lingen 2008, vol. I, pp. 338-341, cat. no. 166, reproduced p. 340).

Ertz records six versions painted by Bredael, though the present, unrecorded, version is the only one to include the horse-driven cart, a motif that does not feature in Brueghel's original either. For a detailed list of all six versions see K. Ertz, C. Nitze-Ertz, Josef van Bredael 1688-1739: Die Gemälde mit kritischem Oeuvrekatalog, Lingen 2006, p. 158-159, cat. nos. E.44 – E.47.