Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer

Sale: Sotheby's, New York, April 23, 2004, lot 124, illustrated
Acquired at the above sale

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: Originally painted on canvas, this painting was subsequently mounted onto Masonite. The canvas is now well supported, albeit heavily. The restoration is uneven and rather heavy handed. The condition throughout the figures and foreground is quite respectable. There appear to be remnants of what seems to be a dirty varnish, particularly in the lower right and to a lesser degree in the lower left. There are very broad and visible retouches on the far left side and on the right side. Inaccurate retouches are visible to the naked eye in the sky, around the edges, in broad horizontal bands above the figures on the right and above the bridge and groom in the center, and in spots between the masts and the sails in the center. There are also a few retouches within the figures themselves, for instance in the veil of the bride. While one does not have to remove the canvas from the board given the fact that painting is stable, looking into the removal of all of these old and heavy handed restorations would certainly be beneficial.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Dutch by birth, Kaemmerer made his career as a Saloniste in Paris. He was awarded a médaille de troisième classe at the 1874 Salon and a silver medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1889. His finely detailed technique and stylish Directoire subjects earned him much praise in Europe and America.