Emanuel de Witte

Viscount Weymouth
Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 4 October 1944, lot 149;
There acquired by Cevat for £280;
With A. Welker, London, 1951;
Mrs. Angela van Praag, London;
By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, 10 November 1954, lot 65;
Where acquired by Croft for £260;
Sidney van den Berberg, 1956;
With Duits, London;
From whom acquired by Emile Wolf, New York;
Thence by descent to the present owners. 

London, Milton Galleries, May 1945, no. 9;
Waltham, Massachusetts, Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, 17th Century Paintings from the Low Countries, February 27 - March 27, 1966, no. 14;
Norfolk, The Chrysler Museum, Providence, R.I., Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, and Tampa, FL, The Tampa Museum, The Discovery of the Everyday: Seventeenth Century Dutch Paintings from the Wolf Collection, July 14 – September 13, 1982, no. 60.

I. Manke, Emmanuel de Witte, Amsterdam 1963, p. 113, cat. no. 150.

The panel is uncradled. Painting is under a dull old varnish. Overall the painting reads well though there are some thinnesses in the darker areas of the architecture. There is some scuffing along the extreme bottom edge where a thin strip of wood has been added. Also visible to naked eye are a few blotches on the surface at center and along the right side which looks as if some liquid might have splashed and dried on the surface. Under UV light: some scattered small retouches and strengthening can be seen in the architecture here and there. The painting would probably benefit from a light cleaning and fresh varnish. Offered in an elaborately carved and gilt frame with some chips and nicks.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A painting by de Witte of a church with similar architecture, dated 1660, can be found in the Landesmuseum, Hanover.¹

1. inv. no. PAM 889, see I. Manke, Emmanuel de Witte, Amsterdam 1963, cat. no. 153, fig. 97.