JOHANNES LEEMANS | Trompe l'oeil still life with hunting pouch, horns, and a caged bird

John J. Slocum, Newport RI;
Purchased from the Slocum estate by current owner.

The panel is stable, flat, and is beveled on all four edges. A decorative image reads well with bold colors and contrast retained. The paint surface is thin, revealing the vertical wood grain, particularly in the upper right. No areas of loss are visible to the naked eye. Under UV inspection, an area of repair 2 inches long is present at the upper right corner, and a smaller area at the top center edge. Small, minor retouches are present throughout the image in areas of shadow, likely to address paint loss or thinning. The painting can hang as is without cleaning. Offered in a carved wooden frame.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Note on provenance: Mr. Slocum (1914 - 1997) collected while serving as a U.S. cultural attaché in Berlin (1950 - 1960) and while attached to the Embassy in Egypt (1960-3). Later, he served as Assistant to the Director of The Smithsonian, was appointed by President Reagan to the Presidential Cultural Property Advisory Committee, and was a Trustee Emeritus of the Archaeological Institute of America. Slocum was a respected scholar and collector of literature who donated an important collection of works by James Joyce to Yale University. He collected and sold fine art from the Medieval period through Impressionism, and his medieval Crusader coin collection comprised a single-owner sale at Sotheby's London in 1997.