PAUL THEODOR VAN BRUSSEL | Still life of roses, an iris, a tulip and other flowers in an urn, on a stone ledge with a butterfly and a bird's nest

With M. Bernard, London, 1951–54 (when advertised in The Illustrated London News, 21 June 1952, p. 1061; and in The Connoisseur, August 1954);

William Fraser, 1st Baron Strathalmond (1888–1970), London, 1956;

Thence by descent to the present owner.

Norwich Castle Museum, Still-Life, Bird and Flower Paintings, Norwich 1955, p. 11, under cat. no. 7;

P. Mitchell, European Flower Painters, London 1973, p. 72.

London, M. Bernard, 17th, 18th and 19th century flower paintings, 6 June – 31 July 1952, no. 15;

London, Royal Academy, Winter Exhibition. European Masters of the Eighteenth Century, 27 November 1954 – 27 February 1955, no. 124A (lent by M. Bernard).

Many flower painters, including Paul Theodor van Brussel, one of the most accomplished still life artists of his day, repeated their compositions in autograph replicas. The present work and the prime version of the composition are described by Mitchell (see Literature) as 'a superb example' illustrating this practice. The prototype was sold at Christie's, London, 15 April 1992, lot 33, and was exhibited alongside the present painting at the Royal Academy in 1954 (see Exhibited, no. 124, lent by Thomas Upcher).