Netherlandish, 17th century

together with a copy of Catalogue des Collections du Major Lambert, d'Audenarde. Première vente, Audenarde (Oudenaarde), Belgium, 21-24 September 1926

By repute from the tomb of Philippe II de Montmorency-Nivelle, comte de Hornes, Weert, Netherlands;
Major Lambert, Audenarde, Belgium;
his sale, Audenarde, l'Abbaye de Eename, 21-24 September 1926, lot 133;
with Christiaan de Bruyn, Brussels, circa 1998

The proper left side of the jaw bone is lost and the proper right side is reattached (restorations visible at the joints). A section of the proper left cheekbone is reattached. There are a few small losses and abrasions to the tops and edges of some of the leaves and acorns in the wreath, in particular to some of the leaves at the back on the proper left side. There is a metal mount in the back of the cranium, which is stable but loose. There are some orange oxidation stains to the marble around the mount. Otherwise the condition of the marble is good with minor dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The metal panels on the base are loose and there is dirt and wear to the surfaces.
"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."

This remarkable marble skull would have once adorned an important funerary monument. It compares closely with wreathed skulls from a number of 17th century Dutch tombs, in particular the Monument of Hieronymus van Tuyl van Serooskerken in Stavenisse (Scholten, op. cit. p. 205, no. 185). This tomb, sculpted by Rombout Verhulst (1624-1698) and erected after 1669, incorporates two wreathed skulls flanking the arms of the deceased. The skull on the left side is particularly close to the present skull, being crowned with a similarly proportioned oak wreath. Wreathed skulls appear in other funerary monuments by Verhulst, including atop the Epitaph of Johannis van Gheel and family in Spanbroek (1668) and in the Monument of Admiral Willem Joseph, Baron van Gendt in Utrecht (after 1672) (Scholten, op. cit. pp. 184 and 214, nos. 170 and 189). Whilst the presence of the wreathed skull in funerary contexts served most obviously to remind the living of life's transience, its principal role lay as a signifier of the deceased's virtue, renown and wisdom, as is denoted by the oak wreath. Representations of skulls were particularly coveted in the 17th century. Albert Vinckenbrinck (1604-1665) carved a superb miniature boxwood skull now in the Rijksmuseum (inv. no. K.O.G.2486). An analagous, but smaller and less elaborate, 17th/ 18th century English marble skull was sold in these rooms on 8th July 2010, lot 67. The present marble exhibits some particularly fine passages of carving in the wreath and is notable for its anatomical accuracy.

RELATED LITERATURE
F. Scholten, Sumptuous Memories. Studies in seventeenth-century Dutch tomb sculpture, Zwolle, 2003, pp. 42, 90, 180-5, 193-5, 204-5, 214, figs. 33, 86, 170, 176, 185, 198; J. Leeuwenberg and W. Halsema-Kubes, Beeldhouwkunst in het Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 1973, p. 193, no. 250