PIETER BINOIT | Still life with a basket of peaches, grapes, snail shells, medlars and dead game, all arranged beneath an open window

Possibly Freiherr von Fürstenberg, Bamberg, before 1931;
Possibly V.J. Mayring, Nuremberg, 1959;
Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 13 December 1978, lot 39;
Where acquired by the late owner.

Cologne, Josef Haubrich-Kunsthalle, Währe Wunder – Sammler und Sammlungen im Rheinland, November 2000 – February 2001, no. C7.

Possibly G. Bott, 'Stillebenmalerei des 17. Jahrhunderts, Isaak Soreau, Pieter Binoit,' in Kunst in Hessen und am Mittelrhein, vol. 1 and 2, cat. no. 25;
E. Greindl, Les Peintres Flamands de Nature Morte au XVIIe Siècle, Sterrebeek 1983, p. 338, cat. no. 30;
G. Bott, Die Stillebenmaler Soreau, Binoit, Codino und Marrell in Hanau und Frankfurt, Hanau 2001, p. 206, cat. no. WV.B.32, reproduced, and possibly also cat. no. WV.B.31, reproduced.

The panel is cradled, flat and stable, and appears to be formed of four horizontal planks. The paint surface is clean and the varnish is clear and even. The wood grain has become more visible in the lighter parts of the painting. Inspection under ultraviolet light is impeded the varnish which fluoresces opaquely, but some retouching is visible along the three horizontal joins as well as some small retouchings on the right-hand side of the basket of peaches and in the grapes just right of centre, as well as scattered in the sky upper right. None of these affect the legibility of the image and the painting is ready to hang. Offered in a Dutch style, stained wood frame with wave decoration in good 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 his 2001 catalogue Bott includes two images of apparently the same painting (cat. nos WV.B.31 and WV.B.32). He seems to have known them each only on the basis of the rather poor old photographs he reproduces, so found it impossible to ascertain whether they were in fact different, or one and the same. He does provide different provenance and signature details for each work however, as well as giving an erroneous reference to Greindl's 1983 list for the former. What is certain is that this painting was sold at Sotheby's in 1978, and it is fairly certain, there being no apparent differences between it and either of the photographs reproduced, that it is identifiable with one or, more likely, both of the works published by Bott.