Théobald Michau Tournai 1676 - 1765 Antwerp

Ferdinand Tauwel collection, Cologne;
Thence by descent to the present owner.

 

The copper plates are perfectly flat and stable. The paintings are both extremely well preserved and have only been lightly restored in the past. There is a small ring of minor paint losses in upper right sky of the former and on the latter, a slightly larger area of restored paint loss in the extreme centre left (2 by 3 cm). Some of the distant figures in the latter are a little worn as are some of the blue clothes of the figures in the former. Inspection under ultra-violet light reveals only very minor further interference to both paintings. Each sold with a later gilt-plaster frame, the latter's with a restored loss upper right. AF*
"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."

Michau began his training at the age of nine in the Brussels studio of Lucas Achtschellinck (1626-1699) eventually becoming a master there in 1698. However, the majority of his oeuvre was executed in Antwerp where he was elected to the Guild of St. Luke in 1710. That Michau's works were in great demand during his lifetime is testified to by the governor of the Low Countries, Charles IV of Lorraine's acquisition of ten paintings by him. His landscapes are clearly indebted to those of Jan Brueghel the Elder, of over a hundred years before, but Michau's paintings, as demonstrated by these graceful works, are characterised by a greater softness and a distinctly poetic nature.