- 41
Andreas Schelfhout
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 EUR
bidding is closed
Description
- Andreas Schelfhout
- a frozen waterway with skaters by a refreshment stall
- signed l.l.
- oil on panel
- 17,5 by 24 cm.
Provenance
Collection P.J. Minderop, Rotterdam
Richard Green, London
Private collection, Canada
Condition
The panel is straight and solid. Minor retouches along the upper, left and right edge due to frame abrasion. This work is in very nice 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
Andreas Schelfhout was one of the most applauded landscapists of his time, universally admired for his brilliant winterscenes. Building on a grand tradition that blossomed in the 17th century, Schelfhout acquired international fame with his superb brushwork, perfectly balanced compositions and masterful depictions of sky and ice. It earned him the nickname of 'the Dutch Claude Lorrain'. The art critic of the Kunstkronijk (1852) was so impressed by the tranquil poetry of Schelhout's winter scenes that he exclaimed in sheer admiration: 'one could not paint more exquisitely'. Up to this day, Schelfhout's supremacy as a painter of winter landscapes remains unchallenged.
This becomes apparent in the present lot. It shows a frozen waterway near a Dutch town. Numerous skaters are enjoying themselves on the glassy ice or with the delights from the refreshment stall. Schelfhout manages to strike a perfect balance between his much praised, free brush technique and a quest for detail. The lively, masterfully depicted figures are set in an open landscape. The low horizon, spanning almost the entire width of the painting, renders a great depth to the scene. Breathtaking is the superb treatment of the ice. The many scratches, tears and reflections are rendered with great natural quality, at some places the artist only hints at it with the back of the brush.
This becomes apparent in the present lot. It shows a frozen waterway near a Dutch town. Numerous skaters are enjoying themselves on the glassy ice or with the delights from the refreshment stall. Schelfhout manages to strike a perfect balance between his much praised, free brush technique and a quest for detail. The lively, masterfully depicted figures are set in an open landscape. The low horizon, spanning almost the entire width of the painting, renders a great depth to the scene. Breathtaking is the superb treatment of the ice. The many scratches, tears and reflections are rendered with great natural quality, at some places the artist only hints at it with the back of the brush.