Adriaen Pietersz. van de Venne

With Newhouse Galleries, New York, from whom acquired by
Thomas Mellon Evans;
His deceased sale, New York, Christie's, May 22, 1998, lot 52, for $134,500;
Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, January 26, 2001, lot 171, for $149,000.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting has been recently restored and should be hung as is. It is painted on a panel which is cradled and joined through the lower center of the sky, running from left to right. Although the paint layer is quite thin, particularly in the roadway on the right side, the condition generally is very healthy and the details are still very sharp. There are a few restorations visible running along the join in the panel and in a few isolated spots elsewhere. Other than this there are no retouches and the picture should be hung as is.
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.

Dated 1616, this river landscape belongs to the early part of Van de Venne's career when he was active in Middelburg, in central Zeeland. Following Prince Maurits of Orange-Nassau's signing of the Twelve Years Truce with the Southern Netherlands in 1609, Van de Venne executed numerous works for the House of Orange as propaganda for the Stadholder and his successor Frederick Hendrick, both of whom are seen here descending the small hill in a horse-drawn carriage. Many of these works celebrated the peace and prosperity brought about by the signing of the Truce, and here figures are depicted richly dressed on horseback while others entertain themselves in the pastimes of shooting or fishing. In this respect the present work may be closely compared with a winter landscape by Van de Venne from 1620, where Prince Maurits himself is seen hunting, that sold London, Sotheby's, July 4, 2007, lot 25, for £1,308,000.

A note on the Provenance: Thomas Mellon Evans, a previous owner of this work, was one of the great twentieth-century American collectors of fine and decorative arts. As well as Old Master Paintings by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Pieter Brueghel II, Hendrick Avercamp and Frans van Mieris to name but a few, his collection included large numbers of Sporting and American paintings. He was considered a financial genius for his forward-thinking tactics in mergers and acquisitions in the 1950s and 1960s. He was also a great patron of the turf, breeding and owning the Kentucky Derby winner, Pleasant Colony, in 1981. His collection was sold after his death in 1998.