Karel Du Jardin

Signed and dated l.l.: K. DU. JARDIN. F / 16 (88?) Oil on canvas

Possibly Baron de Banckheim, Paris;
His sale, Paris, 12 April 1747, lot 46 (78.3 by 64.8 cm);
Possibly anonymous sale, Paris, 29 April 1790, lot 89 for FR 1,001;
Possibly MAFOR;
Their sale, 1817, no. 11 [76.2 by 63.5 cm.]';
Possibly OXARC;
Their sale, 1818, lot 50;
Possibly General Studd of Oxton, Devon;
By whom sold, London, Christie's, 25 January 1918, lot 151 for £8 s.18 p. 6 to Ericksson (73.6 by 63.5 cm.);
R. John E. Stillwell;
By whom sold, New York, 1 December 1927, no. 212 (68.6 by 52.0 cm; dated 1670);
Ederheimer collection, New York (dated 167[...];
Private collection, U.S.A., circa 1969-89;
With O. Naumann, New York (as dated 1661), from whom purchased by the present owners.

C. Hofstede de Groot, Hollandische Maler, London 1926, p. 299, nos. 11a. and 11b.;
E. Brochhagen, Karel Dujardin. Ein Beitrag zum Italianismus in Holland im. 17. Jahrhundert, Dissertation, University of Cologne 1958, p. 84, note 303 (as not in Hofstede de Groot);
J.M. Kilian, The Paintings of Karel Dujardin, Amsterdam 2005, pp. 200-201, cat. no. 102, reproduced plate 82, where listed as location unknown.

The canvas has been relined. The paint surface is rather flat and abraded in areas, for example lower right, centre left and upper right. Some discoloured retouchings can be made out to the naked eye. Inspection under UV light reveals quite extensive retouchings throughout. Offered in a black wooden frame in good condition.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Dujardin's artistic training remains a mystery as does much of his early career. It has been presumed on the basis of subject matter that he must have travelled to Italy in the 1640s, yet no proof of such a trip exists. The crystallisation of Dujardin's artistic and intellectual skills can be dated to the beginning of the 1660s when he painted some large and impressive works which reflect not only the artist's response to the stylistic innovations of the Amsterdam Town Hall commissions of the 1650s, particularly the introduction of Flemish and classicizing elements, but they also bear witness to the likelihood of an earlier trip to Italy as is shown in his awareness of Italian Baroque paintings by artists such as Guido Reni. The Conversion of St. Paul, 1662, London, National Gallery, the Hagar and Ishmael, 1665-6, Sarasota, Florida, Ringling Museum of Art and Tobias and the Angel, circa 1665, Budapest, Szépmüvészeti Múzeum, are all characterized by their classicising nature, exquisite handling and sensitive and sometimes unusual interpretation of the biblical stories. According to Jennifer M. Kilian, (see Literature), there is some disagreement over the dating of this very fine painting as the date is no longer visible. However, in terms of quality and style, it is closely related to these three paintings, which form the zenith of Dujardin's career.