Jan Brueghel the Elder

With Agnew's, London; 
Private collection, England, 1957-1997;
With David Koetser Gallery, Zurich;
From whom purchased by the present collector, March 15, 1997.

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 exquisite picture is in remarkable condition. The copper panel has been reinforced around the edges with a wooden framework. The paint layer is stable, flat and clean. We are unable to detect any restorations and it seems more than likely that there are none of any consequence, except perhaps around the extreme edges. This picture should be hung as is.
"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."

This small copper is an exceptionally fine example of a wooded landscape by Jan Brueghel the Elder. Brueghel developed the wooded landscape genre throughout the beginning of the 17^th century, with formative works such as his painting, circa 1593, now in the Vienna Kunsthistorisches Museum, inv. no. 458. Another example of this type was sold London, Sotheby's, December 13, 1978, lot 102 (as by Anton Mirou)¹. Despite his clear mastery of the landscape genre, it is not until the early years of the 17^th century that we begin to see a shift in Brueghel's oeuvre towards landscape painting, and in particular a focuse on the rendering of trees as the primary subject. This shift further displays his independence from his father, Pieter I, as Jan's compositions employ a single vanishing point as opposed to the dual vanishing point system utilized by Pieter.

Here, the bent tree trunk, split on the end, is a critical device in directing the eye towards the single vanishing point in the clearing of the background. Brueghel employs this particular compositional device in many of his early landscapes, most notably, the aforementioned Vienna picture. The impression of spatial depth is suggested by the visible water filled background and deep blue sky, opposite the dark abyss of the cavernous forest which presents itself, flanked by hunters, in the right foreground. It is in his rendering of foliage here that the true beauty and technical prowess of the picture comes to fruition. The repetitive application of thin glazes of oil paint brings out the illusion of depth within the trees themselves. Through such layering, Brueghel has given the scene a translucent, crisp, jewel like quality and when completed on a small scale, as is the case here, the outcome is a very intimate and refined picture. The focal point of the composition, the central tree, is the most obvious and successful realization of this technique. The light source enters from the left, causing the leaves on the fringe of the brush to glow and sparkle with just a hint of yellow and brown hue.

Brueghel executed more compositions on copper than any of his contemporaries painting on that support.² The present picture, which belongs to the period in Brueghel's oeuvre during which time he focused on a more naturalistic conception of landscape and nature, displays the meticulous handling of paint which the copper plate allowed the artist to achieve on such a small scale. Furthermore, this particular copper plate bears the mark of Peeter Stas, one of the most sought after and accomplished copper panel makers of his time.³  This painting, previously unrecorded as a Brueghel copper with the Stas mark, is now recognized as one of a group of only thirteen Brueghel compositions painted on a Peeter Stas plate.

1. K. Ertz, Jan Brueghel d. Ä., Köln 1979, cat. nos. 2 and 2a, reproduced, figures 92 and 92a.
2. J.Wadum, in M. Komanecky (ed.), Copper as Canvas, exhibition catalogue, Phoenix 1999, pp. 93-116.
3. For a full description of the life and work of Peeter Stas, see J.Wadum, in M. Komanecky (ed.), op.cit.