Joos de Momper

The Princes of Ysenburg-Birstein, Schloss Birstein, Hessen (their wax seal affixed to the reverse), created Princes of the Holy Roman Empire by Charles VII in 1744.

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The canvas is lined and the paint layer is stable. There are restored losses to the mountains upper right, now discoloured, and the shadows of the rocks lower left. Minor restored paint losses can be seen along the old stretcher marks top and bottom. A scattering of pin hole sized losses can be seen across the entire surface some of which have been retouched out. The overall condition is fair with a tonal improvement if the discoloured varnish were removed. Moulded plain wood frame, 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."

The painting is accompanied by the certificate of Dr. Walther Bernt dated 25 August 1973. The attribution to De Momper has more recently been endorsed by Dr. Klaus Ertz, following inspection of the original. He suggests a date of execution in the later 1620s. The motif of the stone bridge recurs in several works of this date, and Ertz compares the present painting, for example,  to the Landscape with travellers near an alpine bridge in Paris, Musée du Louvre,¹ and the Mountainous landscape in Wuppertal, Von der Heydt-Museum.² The figures and animals are the work of another hand, in the opinion of Dr. Ertz, probably a painter in the circle or following of Sebastian Vrancx. A copy of Dr. Ertz's certificate accompanies this lot.

1. K. Ertz, Josse de Momper der Jüngere, Die Gemälde mit kritischem Oeuvrekatalog, Freren 1986, p. 529, cat. no. 216, reproduced.
2. Ibid., p. 518, cat. no. 182, reproduced.