DEDICATED AUCTIONS OF MASTERWORKS FROM RENOWNED COLLECTIONS
Baroque: Masterpieces from the Fisch Davidson Collection:
Collected with passion and rigor over three decades, the Fisch Davidson collection distils the essence of Baroque art between 1600 and 1650, comprising some of the very finest paintings in private hands by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, Guercino, Bernardo Cavallino, Valentin de Boulogne, Orazio Gentileschi and more, which together provide a comprehensive sense of the key artistic currents flowing through early 17th-century Europe.
Dutch Masterpieces from The Theiline Scheumann Collection:
Comprising twelve paintings produced in Holland during the seventeenth century, The Theiline Scheumann Collection features landscapes, seascapes, still lifes and urban views which encapsulate the artistic trends which defined the period. One of the first female collectors in America to put together such a collection, Mrs. Scheumann assembled only the finest quality pieces with distinguished provenance, showcasing the very best Dutch painting has to offer. The sale marks the first time many works have appeared on the market in over 30 years.
There is the serene An Imaginary View of a Quiet Canal in Amsterdam by Jan van der Heyden (est. $1,000,000 – $1,500,000), the foremost painter of cityscapes in the 17th century, whose landscapes depicting Amsterdam are among his most prized works. A similar piece by the artist, Amsterdam: A View of the Sint Antoniespoort, achieved a record-breaking £4.4 million at Sotheby’s London in 2006.
Elsewhere, Aert van der Neer’s Marshy forest at sunset with harts and a view of a town beyond (est. $1,000,000 – $1,500,000) an idyllic depiction of a wintry sunset showcases the artist’s command of atmosphere and light. Van der Neer’s winter landscapes were considered revolutionary at the time, and his pioneering approach went on to influence an entire generation of Dutch romantic landscape painters in the first half of the nineteenth century. There is also the hauntingly beautiful A Young Woman Sealing a Letter by Frans van Mieris the Elder (est. $1,500,000 – $2,000,000). Completed in 1667, this work sees Van Mieris working within the fijnschilder (meaning ‘fine painting’) tradition developed by artists like Gerard Dou. The work is meticulous in detail, with some features likely executed with brushes made from a single hair.
Among the works representing still lifes is Jan van de Velde III’s Still Life with an Earthenware Jug, Tobacco Box, ‘Gouda’ Pipe, Glass of Beer and Tobacco Smoking Implements (est. $600,000 – $800,000). Highly regarded today as a subtle and inventive master of still life, Van de Velde had for many generations remained in obscurity. Works by the artist are extremely rare, this being among only forty known by the artist today. Van de Velde arranges a few objects on a tabletop, and, using a very restricted palette, creates a remarkable range of surfaces and textures. Visible at the bottom of the scene is the most flamboyant aspect of the painting; an oversized signature, the curves of which reflect the influence of his father’s calligraphy.
On the heels of exceptional results for The Grasset Collection – one of the very best private collections of Dutch & Flemish still lifes and landscapes, which made an above estimate $15.5m / £12.7m in London this December – the New York sales will include further rare still lifes by renowned artists spanning the genre.
Dating 1621, Pieter Claesz’s vibrant tablescape, A Still Life with Cherries and Strawberries in Wanli Dishes is the earliest known work by the artist. Estimated at $1-1.5m, it is also among the most significant works by the artist to come to auction in recent times.
Embodying the hyper-refined realistic technique for which he is renowned, Gerard van Spaendonck’s Still Life with Flowers in a Stone Vase on a Pedestal Carved with Putti; with a Basket of Flowers and a Dunnock’s Nest is among the finest still lifes by the artist to appear at auction (estimate $1-1.5 million). Heir of the tradition of flower painting embodied by Jan van Huysum and teacher to the great botanical draftsman and painter, Pierre Joseph Redouté, Spaendonck represents an important bridge between two great moments in the history of still life painting.
Alongside are two works by major French painter Anne Vallayer-Coster known for her floral still lifes at the court of Marie-Antoinette – a devoted patron who helped provide a dedicated space for Vallayer-Coster at the Louvre – something extremely rare for a Woman artist at the time. The sale features both Still life of roses in a glass vase, with grapes beside (est. $150,000 – $200,000) and Still life of flowers in a crystal vase on a ledge (est. $100,000 – $200,000). A third work by the artist, coming from the same private Canadian collection, will be featured in the Old Master Paintings and Sculpture Part II sale (est. $60,000 – $80,000).
