Roelandt Savery

Lord Radnor (according to a label on the reverse);

Lady Cochran;

Th. Niemeyer, 1954;

With Galerie Sanct Lucas, Vienna, from whom acquired by the father of the present owner.

Ghent, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Roelandt Savery, 10 April – 13 June 1954, no. 88, lent by Th. Niemeyer.

P. Eeckhout, Roelandt Savery, exhibition catalogue, Ghent 1954, pp. 33–34, cat. no. 88;

K.J. Müllenmeister, Roelandt Savery, Freren 1988, pp. 130, 295, cat. no. 209, reproduced p. 296, fig. 209.

The support consists of a single plank of oak, which has a wide bevel along all four margins on the reverse. The paint surface is beautifully preserved with all of Savery's intricate detailing intact. There is a now somewhat dirty varnish layer masking the full richness of his palette and the painting will respond extremely well to a light surface clean. There are barely any interferences with only some very small retouchings evident in the dark background behind the camel and to some of the foliage on the right behind the ostrich and some minor strengthening to the outline of the neck of the long necked bird to the left of centre. Sold in a walnut frame.
"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."

There are two versions of this composition, and the two paintings have sometimes been confused. The only significant differences between them are in details of the trees and foliage, and only the present work is dated. The other version, described by Müllenmeister as a variant of the present picture and listed by him under his entry for it, was in the Baines sale, London, Christie's, 17 April 1931, lot 52, to Wyatt, and was more recently sold at Christie's Amsterdam, 17 November 1994, lot 128. One of the versions, but more probably the other one, was exhibited as follows:

Amsterdam, Gallery P. de Boer, Tentoonstelling van de jongere Brueghels, 19 Feb – 5 April 1934, no. 168;

Laren (N.H.), Singer Museum, Kunstbezit rondom Laren, 3 July – 31 August 1958, no. 132.

Savery was attracted to this subject: he painted no less than 25 treatments of it between 1617 and 1628. By 1616 Savery was in Amsterdam, following some peripatetic years after his employment in Rudolfine Prague came to an end. He finally settled in Utrecht in 1619, the year after he painted this work.