Jan Josefsz. van Goyen

Susan Elizabeth Buller–Yarde–Buller, Countess of Morton (1793–1849), Dalmahoy House, Kirknewton, Midlothian, Scotland;
Her deceased sale, London, Christie's, 27 April 1850, lot 26, for £2.2.0 to her brother John Buller–Yarde–Buller (1799–1871), 1st Baron Churston, Lupton, Devonshire;
By descent to his grandson John Yarde-Buller, 3rd Baron Churston (1873–1930);
By whom sold, London, Christie's, 26 June 1925, lot 7, for £273 to Colnaghi;
P. & D. Colnaghi & Co., London;
Herbert Cremer, Santpoort, by 1927;
His son, J. Theodor Cremer (d. 1979), Mount Kisco, New York;
His deceased sale (Cremer Trust sale), Amsterdam, Sotheby–Mak van Waay, 17 November 1980, lot 6, for 180,000 Dutch Guilders to Scheidwimmer;
With X. Scheidwimmer, Munich, 1981;
With P. de Boer, Amsterdam, 1983;
Private collection, Germany.

H–U. Beck, Jan van Goyen, Amsterdam 1973, vol. II, p. 390, no. 869, reproduced;
H–U. Beck, Jan van Goyen, vol. III, Ergänzungen..., Amsterdam 1973, p. 243, no. 869.

The panel is made up of one plank, which has been cradled. There is an old repaired vertical split running the height of the panel, just to the right of centre; there is also an old repaired vertical crack, approx. 5 cm., running down from the upper margin on the left. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals restoration to the aforementioned split and crack, as well as spot retouching throughout the sky. The foreground remains largely untouched. The paint surface is clean, the varnish only slightly discoloured and much of the original impasto remains intact - the painting is in overall good condition. Offered in a stained dark wood frame in excellent 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."

This is a characteristic tonal work by Van Goyen from late in his career. He has reduced his palette to tones of brown and yellow, admitting only very muted blue and cream in the sky. While unlikely to be topographical, the subject is probably taken from one of the lakes in the environs of Leiden, where river, lake and estuary blend into each other, just as land, sea and sky do in Van Goyen's atmospheric painting.