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JAN BRUEGHEL THE ELDER | A wooded landscape with peasants crossing the river
Estimate
500,000 - 700,000 USD
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Description
- Jan Brueghel the Elder (Brussels 1568 – 1625 Antwerp)
- A wooded landscape with peasants crossing the river
- signed and dated lower left: Brueghel / 1613
- oil on copper
- 7 1/4 x 10 1/8 inches
Provenance
Anonymous sale, London, Christie's 7 July 2000, lot 2 (as attributed to Jan Brueghel the Elder);
With Richard Green, London;
From whom acquired by the present owner.
With Richard Green, London;
From whom acquired by the present owner.
Literature
K. Ertz and C. Nitze-Ertz, Jan Brueghel der Ältere, vol. I, Lingen 2008–2010, pp. 308-309, cat. no. 147, reproduced in color.
Condition
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 copper is in very good condition. The copper plate is flat and has not been broken or bent. The paint layer is stable. The reverse has wooden reinforcements around the edges to keep the panel secure. No retouches are visible under ultraviolet light. There may be a retouch in the upper right corner and a few spots in the sky. The varnish is slightly dull, but the work should otherwise be hung in its current condition.
"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 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."
Catalogue Note
This small copper depicts a charming village alongside a canal, a subject that Jan Brueghel the Elder first developed and explored around 1602. The painting is defined by vibrant colors, glazes, and thick impasto. A lightness of touch and unwavering confidence further contributes to the captivating jewel-like effect so prized in works by this major Flemish master, and it is not difficult to understand why Brueghel’s popularity has endured over the centuries.
From a slightly elevated viewpoint, Brueghel opens a window onto early seventeenth century Flemish life, notably the daily life of a village nestled on the edge of a canal on a clear, crisp day. A calm body of water, upon which float a few vessels, fills the entire foreground. Beyond the foreground, the composition is cleverly divided by a group of towering, lush trees and forest that fill the majority of the composition. The left half of the scene is defined by a group of villagers gathered near the landing stage, as well as a well-traveled pathway that pulls the eye past a row of houses and into the depths of the woods. By contrast, the right half of the composition is nearly devoid of figures and the wooded path is replaced by a gently bubbling stream filled with a few ducks and other birds. This stream meanders beside a lush forest and a towered fortress, looming over a wooden bridge, and seems to unfold into a larger body of water, whose silvery blue tone also draws the audience to further explore the depths of the scene.
What adds another degree of grandeur to this multi-figure composition is the attention with which Brueghel has observed and captured not only the natural world around him, but also the minutia of the everyday, a pictorial device achieved through his use of the smooth copper support. Brueghel executed more compositions on copper than any of his contemporaries using the same support. The copper plate does not absorb the paint and, more so than on canvas or panel, individual brushstrokes stand up on the smooth surface. This allowed Brueghel to display his masterful brushwork, which is all the more impressive on such a small scale.
From a slightly elevated viewpoint, Brueghel opens a window onto early seventeenth century Flemish life, notably the daily life of a village nestled on the edge of a canal on a clear, crisp day. A calm body of water, upon which float a few vessels, fills the entire foreground. Beyond the foreground, the composition is cleverly divided by a group of towering, lush trees and forest that fill the majority of the composition. The left half of the scene is defined by a group of villagers gathered near the landing stage, as well as a well-traveled pathway that pulls the eye past a row of houses and into the depths of the woods. By contrast, the right half of the composition is nearly devoid of figures and the wooded path is replaced by a gently bubbling stream filled with a few ducks and other birds. This stream meanders beside a lush forest and a towered fortress, looming over a wooden bridge, and seems to unfold into a larger body of water, whose silvery blue tone also draws the audience to further explore the depths of the scene.
What adds another degree of grandeur to this multi-figure composition is the attention with which Brueghel has observed and captured not only the natural world around him, but also the minutia of the everyday, a pictorial device achieved through his use of the smooth copper support. Brueghel executed more compositions on copper than any of his contemporaries using the same support. The copper plate does not absorb the paint and, more so than on canvas or panel, individual brushstrokes stand up on the smooth surface. This allowed Brueghel to display his masterful brushwork, which is all the more impressive on such a small scale.