JOHANNES NATUS | A tavern scene with peasants smoking and drinking

Lord Biddulph, London, 1954;

By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, 12 May 1954, lot 51 (as Claes Molenaer), to Douwes;

With Gebr. Douwes, Amsterdam;

F.C. Butôt, Sankt Gilgen, Austria;

Anonymous sale ('The Property of a Gentleman'), London, Sotheby's, 12 July 1978, lot 29, for £16,000 to Gregor;

With Gebr. Douwes, Amsterdam, by 1990, from whom acquired in circa 1996.

Salzburg / Münster 1972–1973, pp. 94–95, reproduced;

Rotterdam 1973, pp. 76–77, reproduced;

W. Bernt, Die Niederländischen Maler und Zeichner des 17. Jahrhunderts, Munich 1980, vol. II, reproduced fig. 886;

R.E. Fleischer, Ludolf de Jongh (1616-1679): Painter of Rotterdam, Doornspijk 1989, p. 80, reproduced fig. 99;

Raupp 2004, pp. 302–05, cat. no. 71, reproduced in colour;

Rotterdam 2008, p. 56, cat. no. 37, reproduced in colour.

Middelburg, Stadhuis, Het oof van de meester. Nederlandse schilderkunst uit de 17e eeuw, 1968, no. 35;

Salzburg / Münster 1972–1973, unnumbered;

Rotterdam 1973, unnumbered;

Berlin, Kaiser-Friedrich-Museums-Verein, Holländische Malerei aus Berliner Privatbesitz, 1984, no. 44;

Rotterdam 2008, no. 37.

The SØR Rusche Collection has been exhibited extensively over the last two decades. Please click here for further information.

Almost nothing is known of Johannes Natus’ life and career, except that in 1662 it is documented that he became a member of the Guild of Saint Luke in Middelburg – the city second only to Amsterdam as Holland’s most important centre of trade during the 17th century. The artist appears to have specialised in high-quality depictions of tavern interiors, the rather monumental figures, quality of light, and colours in which suggest that he may have spent time in Italy.