Frans Snyders

With Galerie van Diemen, Amsterdam, before 1935;
Mauerbach Depository, Austria, and transferred to the Federation of Austrian Jewish Communities;
By whom sold, Vienna, Mak-Österreichisches Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Christie's, 29 October 1996, lot 30, where purchased by the present collector.

H. Robels, Frans Snyders, Munich 1989, pp. 279-281, no. 160, reproduced (as datable to the 1640s).

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 panel has been cradled on the reverse. A join in the wood has been repaired in the upper third, which runs horizontally through the top of tail squirrel. There is another join which runs through the side of the table, approximately three inches from the bottom edge. The panel is in very vigorous condition however and the paint layer is extremely lush and well preserved. There are restorations visible under ultraviolet light only addressing the joins in the panel. It is conceivable that the top half of the tail of the squirrel has been retouched and that other areas in the top and bottom sections of the panel also have restorations. However, if the varnish were to be freshened, we would recommend that the picture 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 by Robels (see literature) to the 1640s, this still life typifies Snyders' output during the latter part of his career. At this time his small still lifes, previously characterised by their fusion of dead game packed tightly with several other elements such as fruit and vegetables, adopt a far simpler form; they become less cluttered,  take on a symmetrical design, and are limited to just a few still life elements. A central bowl of fruit is flanked on either side by a smaller bowl of small fruits or nuts, as exemplified by the still life in the Hermitage, St. Petersburg.¹ Snyders' technique also progresses, eschewing sharpness and linearity for a more fluid, impressionistic execution, working 'wet in wet' with bold brushstrokes, seen here in, most obviously, the hazelnuts and foliage. His very last works take on a new flavour still, and he sets his still lifes in an arcadian landscape, reflecting the Italianate influence that hit Flanders and the Netherlands towards mid-century.

A note on the provenance: In 1985 a law was passed in Austria by the then Chancellor, Dr. Sinowatz, to reopen the claims process for works of art gathered at the Austrian collecting points after 1945 whose ownership was still unresolved. While many claims were filed and processed over the following years, many paintings also remained unclaimed and these were taken to Mauerbach, a 14th-century monastery north of Vienna, for storage. In July 1995 an agreement was reached between the Federal Finance Ministry and the Federation of Austrian Jewish Communities, and a law was passed by the Austrian Parliament which transferred ownership to the Federation. These items were sold in 1996 and the proceeds put to the benefit of both Jewish and non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust.

1 Inv. no. 612; see S. Koslow, Frans Snyders, Antwerp 1995, p. 179, reproduced fig. 248.