Andreas Schelfhout & Hendrikus van de Sande Bakhuyzen

Sale Amsterdam (Sotheby's), 24 October 2001, lot 233, illustrated
Private collection, United Kingdom

The Hague, Haags Historisch Museum, Een Haagse schildersfamilie uit de negentiende eeuw. Hendrikus, Geraldine en Julius van de Sande Bakhuyzen, 6 September - 9 November 1997

T. de Liefde-Van Brakel, Een Haagse schildersfamilie uit de negentiende eeuw. Hendrikus, Geraldine en Julius van de Sande Bakhuyzen, Zwolle 1997, p. 19, colour illustration 19

The canvas has been relined and set onto a new stretcher. There is a large vertical retouch about 15 cm from the right edge, running throughout the full height of the painting. Retouches along the upper, left and right edge due to frame abrasion. Large washed-in area centrally in the sky. Some retouches in the left part of the sky. Some scattered retouches throughout the canvas. All well restored.
"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 painter Hendrikus van de Sande Bakhuyzen, born in The Hague in 1795, is best known for his landscapes with cattle. These arcadian pictures, glorifying the beauty of the Dutch landscape, show clear influences of Dutch seventeenth century landscapists, thereby taking pride in our national tradition.

Van de Sande Bakhuyzen's talent was recognised at an early age. Already in 1810, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam acquired his Gelders landschap, which established his name. In 1821 and 1822 his paintings were rewarded with medals of honour at exhibitions in Brussels and Antwerp. 

Although Van de Sande Bakhuyzen specialised almost exclusively in summer landscapes, occasionally he also painted some very fine winter landscapes. The present lot, painted in close cooperation with the famous Andreas Schelfhout, is actually one of the finest examples. Schelfhout was by far the most applauded painter of winter scenes in Holland and a good friend of Van de Sande Bakhuyzen. It is therefore not surprising that the two joined forces. Schelfhout's contribution was essential, one contemporary writing in 1841: 'Only when Schelfhout portrays the winter cloaked in white, with a colourful array of skaters, we get an attractive scene. His is a true depiction of our winter delight'. 

How both artists divided the work for the present lot is not easy to determine. In the book on the Van de Sande Bakhuyzen family (published in 1997) it is assumed that Schelfhout painted the left side of the picture with the skaters on the ice, while Van de Sande Bakhuyzen must be held responsible for the right part with the landscape, the houses and the trees. This view is supported by the fact that Schelfhout signed lower left and Van de Sande Bakhuyzen lower right. The cooperation between the two artists resulted in a wonderful, classical Dutch winter scene with many skaters on the ice, seen under a beautifully painted cloudy sky.