Lot 67
  • 67

Dutch Follower of Caravaggio, 17th Century

Estimate
30,000 - 40,000 USD
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Description

  • Tantalus
  • oil on canvas
  • 42 3/4  by 34 in.; 108.6 by 86.4 cm. 

Condition

The canvas appears to be unlined, with possible reinforced edges, and is stable on its stretcher. The image reads strongly beneath a clear varnish. Faint stretcher bar marks are visible at all edges, and two old repairs are visible at the lower edge, at left and to the right of center, both with associated patches on the reverse. Inspection under UV reveals spots of retouching beneath figure's proper left eye, in his hair and his beard, and in the center of his chest. Retouching also visible at upper and lower edges, particularly concentrated at aforementioned repairs. Some small spots of scattered retouching here and there throughout, primarily in the dark colors, with some fine lines of strengthening to the deep shadows, for example in the branch of the tree at upper left. The painting can be hung in its current state. Offered in a carved giltwood and painted frame.
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.

Catalogue Note

In Greek mythology, Tantalus was the son the Zeus and the nymph Plouto. On Earth he was the king of Sipylus in Lydia, yet also maintained close friendships with the Gods. So close was his relationship with the rulers on Olympus that he was welcomed to their dinner table. His downfall began upon his decision to steal nectar and ambrosia and give it to his mortal subjects in hope of providing to them immortality and divine wisdom. For his misdeeds Tantalus was swiftly ejected from Olympus, and upon his death was condemned to eternal punishment. Depicted here is that penalty, that he was forced to stand in a pool of water, directly beneath the branches of a fruit tree. Such was the sentence that when Tantalus stretched to pick a fruit, the branches would immediately grow out of reach. Conversely when he lowered his neck to drink, the waters of the pool receded also out of reach. This story provides us the origin of the word tantalizing, when something is tortuously just out of reach.  The execution of this work coincided with one of the most artistically diverse and dynamic moments of art history within Europe. At the end of the first decade of the 17th century, and coinciding with Caravaggio's career, there was a community of Northern artists who settled in Rome and developed their own brand of the intensely naturalistic style that Caravaggio had unleashed upon the art world only a couple of years prior. Characterized by dramatic tenebrism and compositional intensity, these first generation followers of Caravaggio would ultimately disseminate this new approach throughout the Low Countries and beyond. This particular picture appears particularly informed by Jusepe di Ribera, whose own brand of Caravaggism would have a particular impact on the Northern practitioners of the style. The close attention to the rendering of skin and the male form are testaments to this observation.