PETRUS VAN SCHENDEL | PREPARING FOR THE BALL

Ludwig Englen (acquired directly from the artist) 

Thence by descent (until at least 1993) 

Private Collection, United States 

While many of Petrus van Schendel’s compositions depict busy outdoor markets, and pay homage to the works of Godfreid Schalken and the Utrecht Caravaggisti, Preparing for the Ball instead owes a debt to the quiet interiors of the seventeenth century French artist Georges de la Tour. In this darkened interior, two flickering candles illuminate a rosy cheeked young woman and her attentive maid, who places the final flourishes on her flower-laden hair. The rich textures of satin and velvet, the women’s dangling earrings, and the silver embroidery and stomacher on the seated woman’s costume are highlighted by warm candlelight, much as van Schendel illuminated the myriad details of his market scenes.  Van Schendel completed a smaller version of this composition, dated 1867 and without the standing woman, which appeared on the art market in 2013, though a charming sketch of the seated figure clearly relates to the present work (fig. 1).

We would like to thank Dr. Jan de Meere for kindly confirming the authenticity of this lot and contributing to the catalogue entry.