Jan van Kessel the Elder

Christie's, London, July 7, 1978, lot 185 (as by Ferdinand van Kessel, following an attribution made by Dr. Walther Bernt in November 1977)
John Mitchell & Son, London, 1978
Richard Green, London

The Connoisseur, November 1978, p. 37 advertisement, illustrated (as by Ferdinand van Kessel)
L. Tongiorgi Tomasi, An Oak Spring Flora, Flower Illustration from the Fifteenth Century to the Present Time, A Selection of the Rare Books, Manuscripts and Works of Art in the Collection of Rachel Lambert Mellon, Upperville 1997, p. 106, under cat. no. 26 (as by Ferdinand van Kessel)
K. Ertz, Die Maler Jan van Kessel, Lingen 2012, p. 265, cat no. 390, illustrated in color (as by Jan van Kessel, dateable to the 1650s)

Copper plate is laid down on an old wood panel. The still life elements in this little picture are beautifully preserved, down to the smallest details which are rendered with single hair brushes. The subtle glazes are still mostly intact as well, lending good depth to the figures. Under UV no major losses or retouches are visible. The varnish is slightly uneven in areas, with some possible old damages along outer edges likely from an old frame, but these are not disturbing to the naked eye. Overall 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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

We are grateful to Fred G. Meijer for confirming this painting to be a work by Jan van Kessel the Elder, on the basis of a photograph.  Although in the past it had been given to Ferdinand van Kessel due to the letter "f" in the signature, Dr. Meijer surmises that the first letter of the initials was originally a "j" and later touched up incorrectly as an "f."

This small copper is a lovely example of Jan van Kessel’s paintings that both visually and accurately record the natural world, and also delight the eye with their compositional harmony.  In the 17^th century, the interest in collecting and categorizing exotic flora and fauna gave rise to the Wunderkammers (Cabinets of Wonder) assembled by connoisseurs.  Artists were inspired to create visual records of these specimens, and Van Kessel was amongst the most talented and prolific artists producing images of these natural curiosities from around the world.