After Sir Peter Paul Rubens

oil on panel;

inscribed lower left: '1846'

Possibly Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's East, 30 May 1990, Lot 18;
Mr. Jack and Mrs. Eileen Feather, California;
Thence by descent to the present owner.

C. Wright, 'A Catalogue of the Old Master Paintings in the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. J.V. Feather at Bridley Manor', Surrey 1974, p. 50.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This work on panel has not been restored for many years. The panel is noticeably curved from top to bottom. There is also quite a noticeable wave and distortion in the upper right and slight distortion in the lower left of the panel. The paint layer is stable. Being a 19th century work employing some old master techniques, the glazes have developed some cracking in drying. If the work were cleaned, these cracks would be considerably less noticeable. Some bituminous separation has developed in the darker glazes as well. The work would obviously brighten noticeably if it were cleaned, but it is recommended that some of the antique patina be retained.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

This work is based on a painting by Rubens in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence (inv. no. 1912.86).

A note on the provenance:

Jack and Eileen Feather met and fell in love as teenagers in their home town of Omaha, Nebraska. When they married, days after Jack's 19th birthday, Eileen was working as a bank clerk and Jack was pursuing a degree in English on his way to becoming a teacher. Soon after the birth of their first child, Jack and Eileen moved to California so that Jack could continue his education at UC Berkeley. Shortly thereafter Jack was diagnosed with polio, leaving him bedridden for months. Jack’s recovery efforts kindled an interest in physical fitness and led to his innovating new exercises to help regain strength. Eileen began exercising with Jack, acting as his tireless workout partner, motivator, and collaborator; their pioneering exercises helped him make a full recovery and feeling stronger than ever.

In an effort to allow them to share their knowledge and help people, Jack and Eileen decided to start a business together, and the Eileen Feather Figure Salon was created. Soon, through their talent and determination, the salon grew to become an extremely successful franchise and Eileen herself became an icon of health, beauty and self-made success. When it came to Jack and Eileen enjoying the privileges of their success, they always thought of ways to broaden their horizons through art. Together they started a lovely collection of Old Masters full of historical portraits, mythological allegories, religious scenes, and breathtaking landscapes. Besides their remarkable taste in art, the collection reflects and honors their lifelong partnership.