David Teniers the Younger

Eugène Secrétan, Paris (1836-1899);

By whom sold, Paris, Galerie Sedelmeyer, 1 July 1889, lot 170, where acquired by Agnew's;

Edward Cecil Guinness (1847-1927), 1^st Earl of Iveagh;

By descent to Arthur Ernest Guinness (1876-1949), Holmbury House, Surrey;

His deceased sale ('Sold by Orders of the Executors'), London, Christie’s, 10 July 1953, lot 74, to Howard;

Anonymous sale ('The Property of a Lady'), New York, Christie's, 15 January 1986, lot 149;

With The Brod Gallery, London;

From whom acquired by the late husband of the present owner.

London, Royal Academy of Arts, Winter Exhibition of Old Masters, January - March 1891, no. 75;

Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, David Teniers the Younger: paintings, drawings, 11 May – 1 September 1991, no. 29.

M. Klinge, David Teniers the Younger: paintings, drawings, exhibition catalogue, Antwerp 1991, pp. 102-5, cat. no. 29, reproduced;

Advertisment in Tableau, vol. XIV, no. 4, February 1992, unpaginated, reproduced;

Advertisment in Apollo, vol. CXXXV, March 1992, p. 183, reproduced.

The catalogue illustration is too red in tone. The panel support has an old and effective cradle and is flat and stable. The painting has fairly recently been cleaned and is in very good overall condition indeed. The paint surface is extremely well preserved with little or no sign of wear or any major damages and all details well preserved and the colours strong and clear. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals only scattered local spot retouchings or strengthenings. The varnish remains clear and even, and the picture probably does not require further attention. Offered with a modern plain stained wood frame, in very 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."

This painting dates from Teniers’ mature period in Antwerp in the 1640s, prior to his departure for Brussels following his appointment in 1651 as Court Painter to Archduke Leopold Wilhelm. During this decade Teniers painted a number of outdoor scenes, such as this, in which peasants are engaged in everyday activities. The window on to the Flemish river landscape depicted back right is also typical of his work from this decade.

The painting is first recorded in the prestigious Secrétan collection in Paris in the late nineteenth century. Eugène Secrétan was a French metallurgist and copper industrialist. He built up a great fortune and in 1870 donated a significant number of copper sheets, rolled at his Sérifontaine plant, for the construction of the Statue of Liberty. He lost all his wealth in the 1889 copper crash and was forced to sell his art collection to pay off his creditors. The sale coincided with the Exposition Universelle in Paris and American and English visitors to the city fought with French collectors to win the best pieces, including Jean-François Millet L'Angelus which sold for 553,000 francs.