Lot 4
  • 4

Isaac Soreau

Estimate
150,000 - 200,000 EUR
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Description

  • Isaac Soreau
  • Nature morte à la corbeille de raisins, cerises et branche de fraisier sur un entablement
  • Trace de monogramme en bas à droite
  • Huile sur panneau parqueté

Provenance

Galerie J.O. Leegenhoek, Paris, 1958 ;
Acquis de cette dernière par Monsieur Gérard Grandchamp des Raux (père de l'actuel propriétaire)

Condition

The painting is executed on a sliding cradled oak panel, with the wooden fibers oriented horizontally. The panel itself is composed of two boards that were assembled together. The upper one is much more sensitive to climate variations. Therefore, the surface has suffered from old peeling that doesn't allow the board to recover from these variations, and will most likely never regain the flatness that the lower board presents. A recent varnish covers the painting. It was applied on a clear preparation, which is visible sparsely on the surface. An older yellow varnish covers the panel. The material is thin and transparent, which allows us to see the repaints executed by the artist himself, such as the little red strawberry formerly located on the left of the table (and is now on the lower part). The basket, the fruits and the leaves are particularly well preserved. Some restorations are present on the upper board, in the background, where chips of material were missing. Under UV light: Recent restorations are visible along the lower and upper borders as well as in the lower part where a restoration corrected small gaps on the left of the ledge. Some older restorations are visible in the background. The painting, though not forced on the reverse, is very sensitive to climate variations. Except this, the painting is in very well 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."

Catalogue Note

Isaac Soreau, peintre de la vie silencieuse, a toujours suscité l’admiration des spécialistes qui le situent aux confins des styles flamand et allemand. C’est à Hanau, près de Francfort, qu’il fit carrière. Il y résida jusqu’en 1626. C’est d’ailleurs à Francfort qu’il rencontra Georg Flegel, une des figures de la nature morte germanique du XVIIe siècle. Fils du peintre Daniel Soreau, également  spécialisé dans les natures mortes, il fut initié à la technique de la détrempe dans l’atelier de son père dans lequel il fit son apprentissage tout comme Sébastien Stoskopff et Joachim von Sandrart. Cette technique permettait de réaliser une peinture d’une grande finesse dont la transparence de la pâte rendait des effets de glacis. Isaac Soreau ne cessera de rechercher la perfection du détail dans ses compositions magnifiant ainsi la réalité de chaque objet. 

La nature morte a toujours répondu au cours des siècles à l’engouement du public pour la représentation de la réalité dans toute sa diversité. Elle apparait véritablement au XVIe siècle avec le Caravage qui peint en 1593 la première corbeille de fruits, aujourd'hui à la Pinacoteca Ambrosiana à Milan.  Mais c’est surtout en Europe du Nord, au début du XVIIe siècle, qu’elle connut véritablement son âge d’or. En effet, elle y rencontra un essor considérable et les peintres flamands s’illustrèrent par leur virtuosité dans l’exécution et par le raffinement de leurs compositions.

Les caractéristiques de cette nature morte sont récurrentes dans le corpus d’Isaac Soreau et se retrouvent plus particulièrement dans un autre tableau de composition similaire conservé au musée de Picardie à Amiens (inv. no. M.P. 3037-9I6) : au centre, un assortiment de grappes de raisins avec leurs ceps de vigne délicatement posés dans une corbeille en osier et mis en scène par quelques fruits dispersés sur un entablement en bois dont la tranche, visible au premier plan, fait office de repoussoir. Chaque fruit est traité séparément avec un sens aigu du détail. L’ensemble se détache en général sur un fond sombre et neutre.

Cette façon d’occuper l’espace et de donner aux fruits une place à part entière, à la fois ambitieuse et élégante, révèle tout l’attrait d’Isaac Soreau pour la tradition flamande initiée par Jacob van Hulsdonck, son maître et sa première source d’inspiration. Toutefois, l’utilisation d’un éclairage relativement doux illuminant le centre de la composition et d’un cadrage serré donnent au travail de l’élève un nouveau sens, une nouvelle personnalité. Tel que l'ourlet blanc autour des feuilles, qui leur donne un aspect givré, cristalin. Sa maîtrise du sujet, épaulée par une technique sans égale, en fait l’un des peintres de natures mortes les plus délicats. 

The still life painter Isaac Soreau has always been admired by specialists, who categorized him between the Flemish and German styles. He established his career in Hanau, near Frankfurt. He lived there until 1626. While in Frankfurt he met Georg Flegel, one of the main figures of 17th century German still life. Son of the still life artist Daniel Soreau, also a still life painter, he was introduced to the tempera technique in his father’s studio when he apprenticed there along with Sebastian Stoskopff and Joachim von Sandrart. This skill creates a painting of great finesse with the substance’s transparency allowing glazing effects. Isaac Soreau continued to seek perfection within details in his compositions magnifying the realism of each object.

Over the centuries, the still life has always met the public's enthusiasm for the
representation of reality in all its diversity. It significantly appeared in the 16th century when Caravaggio painted in 1593 the famous fruit basket today in the collection of the Pinacoteca Ambrosiana in Milan. But still life’s golden age was notably in Northern Europe during the early 17th century. In fact, they were considerable popular, and Flemish painters distinguished themselves by their virtuosity in the execution and refinement of their compositions.

The characteristics of this still life are recurrent in the corpus of Isaac Soreau, found notably in another painting with a similar composition in the Museum of Picardy, Amiens, France (inv no MP 3037-9I6.). The center has an assortment of grape clusters with their vines delicately placed in a wicker basket, and arranged with some fruits scattered over a wood table top with the edge in the foreground creating depth. Each fruit is handled separately with a keen eye for detail. The ensemble detaches overall from a dark, neutral background.

This way of occupying space and giving the fruit a full position, both ambitious and elegant, reveals all of Isaac Soreau’s allure for the Flemish tradition initiated by his master and his first source of inspiration, Jacob van Hulsdonck. However, the use of a relatively soft lighting illuminating the center of the composition and a tight framing gives the student’s work a new meaning and personality. Such as the white silhouette around the leaves giving a frosted, crystalline aspect. His mastery of the subject, backed by unrivaled technique, makes him one of the most delicate still life artists.