Juan van der Hamen y León

Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 12 January 1996, lot 131 (as Francisco Barrera);
Where acquired by the present owner.

The support requires some attention however this painting will clean beautifully to reveal excellent detail. The canvas has a very old, thin relining and is somewhat loose on its stretcher causing some buckling in the lower left corner and an uneven craquelure pattern. There is a visible stretcher mark along the upper and left edges. Inspection under UV is largely impaired due to the uneven varnish but reveals an area of retouching in the lower left corner, possibly attending to an old hole or damage due to the buckling. There is a small, old repaired hole in the head of the whisk, center right and possible strengthening in the shadow below the plate. The painting would benefit from a clean, some sensitive retouching and a fresh varnish. Offered in a carved gilt wood frame.
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.

This recently rediscovered painting is a rare addition to the oeuvre of Juan van der Hamen y León, the most celebrated still life painter in early 17^th century Spain, and undoubtedly the catalyst for the proliferation of that genre in the period.  Represented here is a chocolate service; the round, wooden box at right is tilted at an angle to display the packed chocolate within, the black decorated vessels are drinking cups, and the wooden instrument resting above the pastries is a whisk for blending the melted chocolate with milk.  Following the Spanish colonization of Mexico, regular trade by the 17^th century meant chocolate swiftly became a popular commodity and the drinking cups and napkins shown here mimic patterns from the New World which were en vogue in at the time.

Despite the inscription on the reverse, the painting had been misattributed at the time of its sale in 1996 (see Provenance) as it is quoted in a passage of a larger still life with Caylus Anticuario, then given to Francisco Barrera.¹  The Caylus picture has since been re-attributed by William Jordan to Antonio Ponce.  One of the most promising assistants in van der Hamen’s workshop, in his early career Ponce was known to create still life pastiches, combining various elements, each of his master’s invention.  The sensitivity of brushwork in this painting, however, is superior to that of Ponce in the Caylus picture and this work is almost certainly the lost original by van der Hamen which his student repeated for his own early compositions.

 

We are grateful to William B. Jordan for his re-attribution of this lot to Juan van der Hamen y León, on the basis of photographs.

 

1.  Caylus Anticuario, Tres siglos de pintura, exhibition catalogue, Madrid 1995, p. 57, reproduced.