Joseph van Bredael Antwerp 1688 - 1739 Paris

This painting, probably painted circa 1700, is based on a popular composition by Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625), of whom two versions are known, one signed and dated 1612, in the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis and one in the collection of Silvano Lodi, Campione (datable circa 1603-1612; see K. Ertz, Jan Brueghel der Ältere, Cologne 1979, pp. 600-1, cat. no. 257, and p. 574, cat. no. 101, Reproduced). There are also versions of this composition by Jan Brueghel the Younger (1601-1678), an example, wrongly dated 1603, is in the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp (inv. no. 910; see K. Ertz, Jan Breughel der Jüngere, Freren 1984, vol. I, pp. 218-9, cat. no. 35, reproduced).  The composition was clearly a popular one, and thus an obvious choice for Van Bredael, who specialised in refined copies and variants of Jan Brueghel compositions. The present example differs from the original in the wagon missing in the front and other minor differences. Another signed version was sold New York, Christie's, 26 January 2001, lot 46.   

The copper bears several old inventory numbers on the reverse.