Gerard van Spaendonck

With John Mitchell, London, 1981;
From whom purchased by Joseph Dawson, Corpus Christi, Texas;
With Otto Naumann, New York, by 1989;
From whom purchased by the present collector. 

M. van Boven and S. Segal, Gerard en Cornelis van Spaendonck; Twee Brabantse bloemenschilders in Parijs, Den Bosch 1988, 2nd ed., p. 223, Addenda,  cat. no. 65a.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This work was not removed from its glazed frame for this report. Under magnification, it can be seen that the paint layer is in beautiful condition. There is a tiny scratch running diagonally across a white flower in the center of the left side and a few spots of frame abrasion around the edges, but the condition is clearly wonderful. The work should be hung as is.
"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."

A few years after his arrival in Paris from his native Flanders, Gerard van Spaendonck began receiving commissions from the newly crowned French king Louis XVI and his brother the Comte d'Artois.  In 1774, Spaendonck was appointed official painter to the King for miniatures, which was a high distinction for so young an artist.  As early as the following year, a review of his works in the annual exhibit at the Louvre was published in the October 1775 issue of the Mercure de France and states that his compositions are  "des tableaux d'un coloris vif et d'une touche précieuse.  Cet artiste a placé dans quelques uns de ses tableaux des vases d'agathe, de cristal, toujours très difficiles à bien traiter, sans nuire à l'éclat des fleurs, mais son pinceau a su vaincre ces difficultés" [precious and vibrantly colored pictures.  This artist has included agate or crystal vases in a few of his paintings, which is always difficult without diminishing the effect of the flowers, but his brush was able to overcome these hurdles]. 

The quality  of the brushwork is brilliantly displayed in the present miniature: the stone and gilt bronze vase as well as the marble ledge on which the flower arrangement rests set off the composition by creating a strong textural contrast with the soft petals and leaves. The same bas-relief design of playing putti can be found in another full size work by Spaendonck sold New York, Sotheby's, 3 June 1988, lot 145 (see van Boven and Segal 1988, cat. no. 152).