Hans Jordaens III

Emile Wolf, New York, by 1966;
Thence by descent to the present owners.

Waltham, Massachusetts, Rose Art Museum, Brandeis University, 17th Century Paintings from the Low Countries, 27 February - 27 March 1966, no. 1 (as Jan Brueghel the Elder)
Providence, Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design; Tampa, The Tampa Museum; Norfolk, The Chrysler Museum, The Discovery of the Everyday: Seventeenth Century Dutch Paintings from the Wolf Collection, 1982 - 1983, no. 6 (as Jan Brueghel the Elder)

The panel is cradled. The paint surface is under an uneven and discolored old varnish. A horizontal join runs through the center of the composition, very slightly visible to naked eye, and there are possibly two other joins, one in the upper half of the composition that runs through the mountains, and another in the lower half that runs through the foreground. Overall the paint surface has been very well preserved and there is very good retention of the detail in the animals and figures. There are some minor losses and scuffing around the extreme edges. An old discolored retouch can be seen in the sky at the upper center edge and another very small one in the leopards lower right. Examination under UV light reveals retouches on the leopards, to an area under the white horses, and to the area above the bucking horse's head. Other very small and minor retouches scattered here and there. Retouch to the upper center edge as mentioned above. This painting has not been attended to in a long time and would benefit from a light cleaning and a re-addressing of some of the old discolored restorations. The overall condition is very good and the appearance should improve and painting will be very attractive.
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.

In a letter dating 3 August 1985, Dr. Jan Briels endorsed the attribution of this painting to Hans Jordaens III and compared it to another version of the same subject by the artist in the Schloss Weißenstein, Pommersfelden (inv. no. 275).