Toussaint Gelton

Gustaf Adolf Sparre (1756-1794);
Sparre inv., 1794, no. 58. 

Kristianstad, 1977, no. 16.

Granberg, 1885-6, no. 28;
Göthe, 1895, p. 16, no. 19;
F. Thieme & U. Becker (ed.), Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler, vol. XIII, Leipzig 1920, p. 374;
Granberg, 1931, no. 42;
Hasselgren, 1974, p. 118, reproduced p. 171.

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The copper panel is in a good condition There is a recent 4cm horizontal dent to the paint surface centre left, but no paint loss has occurred. There is a slight damage top left which has been restored, this restoration has blanched. The paint surface is pitted with some minute paint losses apparent. The seated figure lower left has some restoration to her blue cloak. The tonality of the image would improve if the varnish were removed."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Toussaint Gelton's paintings are strongly influenced by Cornelis Poelenburch, and are sometimes mis-attributed accordingly, as indeed this one was by Hofstede de Groot, who mis-read the signature.¹  Gelton worked for most of his career in Scandinavia, principally in Copenhagen, where he worked for successive Danish kings. 

While Sparre probably acquired most of his Old Masters while travelling in the Low Countries and Southern Europe, some pictures, and in particular this one, are much more likely to have been bought locally in Scandinavia, either in Seden or in Copenhagen.

1. Recorded by Hasselgren, 1974 and in the catalogue of the Kristianstad exhibition, 1977.  According to Hasselgren, Horst Gerson correctly identified this work as by Gelton.