L13034

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Lot 132
  • 132

Harmen van Steenwijck

Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
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Description

  • Harmen van Steenwijck
  • Still life of fruit, fresh-water fish on an earthenware platter, birds and a stoneware pot all arranged on a ledge
  • signed lower right: H. Steenwyck
  • oil on oak panel

Provenance

Arthur Kay, Glasgow;
His sale, London, Christie's, 11 May 1901, lot 117, for 50 Guineas to Shepherd;
Charles Sedelmeyer (Galerie Sedelmeyer), Paris;
His sale, Paris, 25-28 May 1907, lot 178, for 2,000 Francs;
With Galerie Julia Kraus, Paris, 1977;
F.C. Butôt, Sankt Gilgen, Austria;
His deceased sale, Amsterdam, Sotheby's, 16 November 1993, lot 26, for 92,000 Guilders, where acquired by the present owner and her late husband.

Exhibited

Munich, Sotheby's, A selection of paintings and drawings from the Collection of F.C. Butôt, June 1989.

Literature

L. J. Bol & G. S. Keyes, Netherlandish Paintings and Drawings from the Collection of F.C. Butôt, London 1981, no. 4, p. 42, reproduced.

Condition

The colours of the original are a touch more yellow than they appear in the catalogue illustration. The flat, stable support consists of two horizontal panels bevelled on all four edges. The paint surface is secure and in good condition under a glossy varnish. Some old minor, scattered, discoloured retouchings are visible to the naked eye in the darks of the table and background however thorough inspection under UV light is mostly impeded by the aforementioned varnish. Offered in a wooded 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."

Catalogue Note

Harmen Steenwyck was a pupil of his uncle, the Leiden painter David Bailly, from 1628 to 1633.  His still lifes are highly distinctive, typically with Vanitas objects, fruit and fish, painted with great clarity, set against a creamy yellow or green neutral background, and usually lit from the upper left.

This picture was part of the Butôt Collection formed by the legendary collector F.C. Butôt over the course of more than forty years. Focusing on the 'petits maïtres' of the 17th century from the Dutch and Flemish Schools, Butôt endeavoured to represent all the various painting genres in his collection, favouring exemplary works characteristic of each artist’s style. From his first purchase in 1937 up until the Second World War Butôt had bought only six Old Masters, however in 1950 trade in the Indonesian Tobacco market resumed, providing him with the means to begin to realise his ambition. Famously rigorous in his criteria of quality and condition, his house in the Salzkammergut in Austria which was his home for the last 25 years of his life became a mecca for collectors drawn by his remarkable collection, the breathtaking views and his cook's legendary lunches.