Cornelis Jacobsz. Delff

Acquired by the present owner in March 1991.

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The oak panel is in a good condition with a reinforced and restored 20cm horizontal split, lower left. There is some raised paint along the horizontal wood grain, and is visibly unstable to the top of the painting in the background. The paint through the apples in the tazza is also raised, but secure. Under Ultra-violet light can be seen an intensive campaign of restoration to the background where thinning to this vulnerable paint has occurred along with shrinkage of the paint film producing a fine filigree of pale cracks that have been reduced. Apart from one or two restorations to the central still life, the bread and the cut apple, these areas are in an original, untouched and well preserved condition with colours that saturate strongly. Offered in an ebonised frame with a gilt sight edge, in good condition."
"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."

Cornelis Delff was the son of Jacob Willemsz. Delff the Elder (circa 1550-1601) and initially studied under his father in Delft. He then moved to Haarlem where he worked under Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem (1562-1638), before returning to Delft in 1610 where he remained for the rest of his life. After his teacher Cornelis, Delff was amongst the first artists in the Northern Netherlands to paint kitchen and market scenes with figures and sprawling still lifes, a type which had been conceived by Amsterdam's Pieter Aertsen during his years in Antwerp. Progressing from these kitchen scenes, he began to paint only the still life elements and developed compositions with pots and pans, game and fruit.

This meticulously detailed still life is a fine example of Delff's work and shows the artist's skill in describing different textures using light and shade, in particular where the reflection of the apples can be seen in the polished tazza. The treatment of the apple skins in this painting can be compared with that in other signed works by the artist, notably his Still life of fruit and shells sold London, Sotheby's, 28 October 1992, lot 14, and his Kitchen Still Life sold Vienna, Dorotheum, 2 October 2002, lot 121.