- 170
GERBRAND VAN DEN EECKHOUT | Peter and John before Annas, the High Priest
Estimate
40,000 - 60,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Gerbrand van den Eeckhout
- Peter and John before Annas, the High Priest
- signed and dated lower left: G. v Eeckhout. fe / Ao 1671.
- oil on canvas
- 64.5 x 84.6 cm.; 25 3/8 x 33 1/4 in.
Provenance
Probably Du Preuil (d. 1849), Conseiller d'État, Duchy of Berg;
His sale et al., Paris, Lebrun, 25 November 1811, lot 82 ('la couleur et l'harmonie rappellent les plus beaux ouvrages de Rembrandt [...] C'est l'un des plus remarquables que nous ayons vu de ce maître'), for 800 Francs to Paillet;
Anonymous sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 29 March 1939, lot 38, for 4,600 Francs (as La femme adultère);
With Kunsthandel Erica, The Hague, 1939;
Anonymous sale, Stuttgart, Hermann Combé, 13 November 1952, lot 297, where probably acquired by the father of the present owner;
Thence by descent.
His sale et al., Paris, Lebrun, 25 November 1811, lot 82 ('la couleur et l'harmonie rappellent les plus beaux ouvrages de Rembrandt [...] C'est l'un des plus remarquables que nous ayons vu de ce maître'), for 800 Francs to Paillet;
Anonymous sale, Paris, Hôtel Drouot, 29 March 1939, lot 38, for 4,600 Francs (as La femme adultère);
With Kunsthandel Erica, The Hague, 1939;
Anonymous sale, Stuttgart, Hermann Combé, 13 November 1952, lot 297, where probably acquired by the father of the present owner;
Thence by descent.
Literature
Die Weltkunst, vol. XXII, no. 20, 15 October 1952, p. 8, reproduced;
R. Roy, Studien zu Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, doctoral diss., Vienna 1972, p. 220, cat. no. 65;
W. Sumowski, Gemälde der Rembrandt-Schüler, vol. II, Landau 1983, p. 742, under cat. no. 476 (as lost).
R. Roy, Studien zu Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, doctoral diss., Vienna 1972, p. 220, cat. no. 65;
W. Sumowski, Gemälde der Rembrandt-Schüler, vol. II, Landau 1983, p. 742, under cat. no. 476 (as lost).
Condition
The canvas is relined, the paint surface is dirty and the varnish is discoloured. There is a handful of small retouchings visible to the naked eye just above centre on the left-hand margin, to the right of the high priest, and to a small loss and superficial scratch in the background above this figure. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals these aforementioned retouchings, but the varnish fluoresces so opaquely as to impede any further inspection. The painting appears, however, to be in very good overall 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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
This scene depicts the verses from Acts 4: 1–21, which recount how Peter and John were found preaching to the people of Jerusalem about Christ, and how a lame man had been healed in His name. The high priests held the apostles in prison overnight, before summoning them to be questioned the following day. Peter and John again proclaimed the power of faith in Christ and, taken aback by their courage, the evidence of the man who had been cured, and the reaction of the crowd, who were praising God for what had happened, the priests let the men go without punishment. Executed during one of the last years of his life, this painting yet reflects Eeckhout's debt not only to his friend and teacher Rembrandt, but Rembrandt's own master, Pieter Lastman. We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Volker Manuth for his help in the cataloguing of this lot, which will be included in his forthcoming catalogue raisonné.