Pieter Xavery (1647- after 1674) South Netherlandish, 1673

Mr. Leonardus van Heemskerk, Leiden, by 1771;
his sale, Leiden, 2 September 1771, lot 21;
private collection, the Netherlands

E. Pelinck, 'Nieuws over den beeldhouwer Pieter Xavery', Oud Holland 59, no. 4, 1942, p. 109

Overall the condition of the terracotta is good with some wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age. The surface is tinted with a slip which has worn thin in areas. There is an area of restoration at the proper right elbow and the proper right hand. The tip of the proper left foot and the edge of the hat at the reverse have been reattached. There are some minor chips at the edges of the base and to the edge of the hat on the figure's left side. There is a larger loss to the foliage to the reverse of the seat. There are three holes to the reverse meant to prevent issues during firing.
"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."

Despite being little known, genre sculpture, like genre painting, reached its full potential in the Netherlands in the 17th and early 18th century. Like their contemporaries Jan Steen, the Van Ostades, and Adriaen Brouwer, sculptors used lowlifes to illustrate amoral behaviour or the virtues of an uncomplicated life. The most spectacular examples of genre sculpture are probably Jan Pieter van Baurscheit the Elder's Two Drinkers, which features large caricatured farmers placed theatrically opposite each other whilst vilely contesting the ownership of an exceptionally large tankard of beer (Rijksmuseum, inv. no. BK-2006-19).

The most prolific and original genre sculptor, however, is Pieter Xaveri. The course of his life is shrouded in mystery: thought to be from Antwerp, he studied maths at the University of Leiden in 1670 and married in the same city before disappearing in 1674. His earliest dated work is from 1667, and the latest 1673, suggesting he was only active for a few years. Xaveri executed one of the few documented commissions for genre sculpture, a set of terracotta groups forming two quibbling parties in front of a magistrate. It was made for the Vierschaar of the Leiden town hall, a space designed in its entirety by Xaveri.

The present sculpture is part of an elaborate series of small terracotta jesters, beggars, and ragged musicians the sculptor modelled in the early 1670s. These statuettes have in common that they jovially engage with the onlooker, luring us in. In the 17th century they would therefore probably have functioned as moralising conversation pieces for the collector's cabinet. Further terracottaﾒs by Xavery dated 1673 are the Hurdy-gurdy player and Two laughing jesters in the Rijksmuseum, which compare closely to the present figure (inv. no. BK-1978-36 and BK-NM-5667). Interestingly, the Rijksmuseum's terracottas featured in the same 1771 auction which contained the Rommelpot player.

RELATED LITERATURE
A. Staring, 'De beeldhouwer Pieter Xavery', Oud Holland 44, 1927, pp. 1-15; E. Bijzet, 'Waer in den Aert en Stand zijn uitgedrukt heel stout. The Two Drinkers and genre sculpture in the Netherlands', Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum 56, 2008, pp. 409-24 and 505