Adriaen van de Velde

Louis-François de Bourbon, Prince de Conti (1717–76), Paris;
His sale, Paris, Rémy, 13 May 1777, lot 418, for 800 francs, to Jacques Langlier (with pendant);
Alexandre-Louis Hersant Destouches (1731–95), Paris;
His sale, Paris, Boileau, 15 March 1794, lot 146, for 800 francs, to Joseph-Alexandre Lebrun (with pendant);
Joseph Barchard, London;
His sale, London, Christie's, 6 May 1826, lot 1, for £31.4s, to Emmerson (with pendant, lot 2);
With Richard Abraham, London;
By whose Assignees sold, London, Phillips, 28 June 1831, lot 39, for £31.10s, to Turncliffe;
John Walter, M.P. (1818–94), Bearwood House, Sindlesham, Berkshire, by 1857;
In the collection of the family of the present owners for at least two generations.

New York, American Academy of Fine Arts, Richard Abraham Collection, March 1830, no. 21;
London, Royal Academy, The Old Masters. Winter Exhibition, 2 January – 18 March 1882, no. 83.

Possibly G.F. Waagen, Galleries and cabinets of art in Great Britain, supplemental volume, London 1857, p. 296;
J. Smith, A catalogue raisonné..., vol. V, London 1834, p. 184, cat. no. 33;
C. Hofstede de Groot, A catalogue raisonné..., vol. IV, London 1912, pp. 548–49, cat. no. 320 (or possibly 322d).¹

This tiny uncradeled bevelled panel is flat and stable. There is an old hairline crack 2cm in length running from the top margin at the far left of the panel. The varnish appears even if marginally discoloured. There is no major damage visible to the naked eye. Inspection under UV light reveals a thick opaque varnish, there are no major retouchings visible, only a handful of very small retouches visible in the sky - in seemingly very good overall condition and offered in a brown wood dutch style bevelled frame in good 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 painting was offered along with its pendant, also signed with monogram, depicting a sheep and a goat, until the paintings were sold to different owners in the Abraham sale, 1831 (see Provenance).²

1. The present painting is possibly identical with that listed as cat. no. 322d in Hofstede's catalogue raisonné, recorded in the collection of Dirk Versteegh (1751–1822), Amsterdam (his sale, Amsterdam, 3 November 1823, lot 37, for 880 florins, to Brondgeest, with pendant, lot 38).
2. For the pendant, see Hofstede 1912, p. 551, cat. no. 327 (possibly identical with cat. no. 322e).