Art/Auctions: Important Old Master Paintings at Sotheby's New York, January 30, 2014

Important Old Masters
Sotheby's New York

Lot 1-100, 10 A.M., January 30, 2014
Lot 201-368, 3 P.M., January 30, 2014

Sale 9102

Lot 44, "The Annunciation," by El Greco, oil on panel, 25 by 30 inches

By Carter B. Horsley

The January 30, 2014 auction of Old Master Paintings at Sotheby's New York is highlighted by a gorgeous and early work by El Greco, some excellent landscapes by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, a very fine seascape by Willem Van de Velde the Younger, a very beautiful painting by Francisco Botticini, a very good Crucifixion scene by Francesco Rosselli, a strong painting of "Christ and the Brazen Serpent" that is attributed to Rubens and his studio, a great interior by Adriaen van Ostrade, a "Merry Group" picture by Gerrit van Honthorst, three paintings by Fragonard, a pair of even better paintings by Jean-Baptiste Pater, and a spectacular ebony cabinet.

Lot 44, "The Annunciation," is an very vibrant and bright oil on panel by El Greco (circa 1541-1614) that measures 25 by 30 inches.

The catalogue entry notes that it is based on a lost work by Titian, noting that El Greco might have known that work through an engraving. He altered that work's vertical composition to a horizontal one by not including banners at the top and by reducing the number of angels in the clouds.

The lot has a very modest estimate of $1,000,000 to $1,500,000. It sold for $5,877,000 including the buyer's premium as do all results mentioned in this article.

Of 233 offered lots, 158, or 67.8 percent, sold for a total of $51,361,251.

Christopher Apostle, the head of the Old Masters department at Sotheby's said that it was "pleased with the results" which "proved that collectors are searching for quality works at attractive estimates," ading that "we had immense participation and global bidding from four continents including Asia, Australia, Europe and North America with a number of new buyers in the Old Masters market." "Works from the Dutch Golden Age performed particularly well," he added.

Lot 4, left wing of the Santa Maria a Latera Altarpiece, Saints Julian and James the Greater, by Battista di Biagio Sanfuigni, formerly known as the Master of 1419, tempera on panel with gold ground, 38 inches high

Lot 4 is a lovely left wing of the Santa Maria a Latera Altarpice depicting Saints Julian and James the Greater by Battista di Biagio Sanfuigni, formerly known as the Master of 1419. It is tempera on on panel with gold ground and is 38 inches high. The center of the altarpiece is in the Cleveland Museum of Art. This panel was included in the Fra Angelico exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2005-6. It has a modest estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It sold for $317,000.

Lot 6, Crucifixion, by Master of Citta di Castello, tempera on panel with gold ground 15 1/8 inches high

Lot 6 is a very nice crucifixion scene by the Master of Citta di Castello who was active in Siena circa 1290-1320 A tempera on panel with gold ground, it is 15 1/8 inches high. It was once in the collection of Adolphe Stoclet of Brusssels and was sold at Sotheby's in London in 1965 as a Duccio di Buonisegna. It has an estimate of $300,000 to $400,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 21, "Virgin and Child," by Joos van Cleve, oil on panel, 20 1/8 by 16 7/8 inches

Lot 21 is a very nice Virgin and Child by Joos van Cleve of Antwerp. An oil on panel, it measures 20 1/8 by 16 7/8 inches. It once belonged to Rodolphe Kann of Paris, then Duveen, then Mortimer L. Schiff of New York. It has a modest estimate of $400,000 to $600,000. It sold for $1,445,00.

Lot 15, "Madonna and two angels adoring the Christ Child," by Francesco Botticini, oil on paper., 45 inches high

One of the loveliest works in the auction is Lot 14, "Madonna and two angels adoring the Christ Child," by Francesco Bottiicini, 1446-1498. An oil on panel, it is 45 inches high. It has an modest estimate of $180,000 to $220,000. It sold for $365,000.

Lot 18, "The Crucifixion with the Madonna and Mary Magdalene and Saints Andrew, John the Baptist and Francis, bu Cosimo Rosselli, oil on panel, 81 1/2 by 76 1/8 inches

Lot 19 is a very impressive Crucifixion scene by Cosimo Rosselli (1439-1507 (?). An oil on panel, it measures 81 1/2 by 77 1/8 inches. it has an estiumate of $600,000 to $800,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 19, "The Good Shepherd," by Marten van Cleve I, oil on panel, 19 2/3 by 28 3/4 inches

Lot 19 is a fine landscape with an excellent sense of perspective by Marten van Cleve I (circa 1527-1581). It is entitled "The Good Shepherd" and is an oil on panel that measures 19 2/3 by 28 3/4 inches. It has an estimate of $100,000 to $150,000. It sold for $125,000.

Lot 21, "Landscape with Travelers and Bittern Hunter," by Jan Brueghel The Younger, oil on panel, 17 1/8 by 28 7/8 inches

Lot 21is a very pleasant landscape by Jan Brueghel the Younger (1601-1678) that is entitled "Landscape with Travelers and Bittern Hunter." An oil on panel, it measures 17 1/8 by 28 7/8 inhes. It has an estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. It sold for $341,000.

Lot 22, "Summer: figures eating during the summer harvest,' by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, oil on panel, 23 3/8 by 31 5/8 inches

Lot 22 is an excellent and classic landscape by Pieter Brueghel The Younger (1564-1637/8). An oil on paper, it measures 23 3/8 by 41 5/8 inches and is dated 1600. The catalogue entry notes that there are about 20 variations by the artist on the composition and only 5 are dated and this appears to be the earliest by about 20 years. The catalogue entry notes that this work derives from a famous work by his father at the Metropolitann Museum of Art. It has an estimate of $2,500,000 to $3,500,000. It sold for $5,205,000, an auction for this subject by the artist.

"The Bird Trap" by Pieter Brughel the Younger

Lot 27, "The Bird Trap," by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, oil on panel, 14 7/8 by 23 1/2 inches

Lot 27 is a very fine winter landscape entitled "The Bird Trap," by Pieter Brueghel the Younger. An oil on panel, it measures 14 7/8 by 23 1/2 inches.

Detail of Lot 27

It has an estimate of $1,500,000 to $2,500,000. It sold for $2,741,000, an auction record for this subject by the artist.

Lot 30, "A Dutch ship at anchor drying sails and a kaag under sail," by Willem Van deVelde the Younger, oil on canvas, 27 1/2 by 36 1/4 inches

Lot 30 is a superb seascape byWillem Van de Velde the Younger (1633-1707) entitled"A Dutch Ship at Anchor Drying Sails and a Kaag Under Sail." An oil on canvas, it measures 27 1/2 by 36 1/4 inches. It was once in the collection of P.A.B. Widener. It has an estimate of $800,000 to $1,200,000. It sold for $925,000.

Lot 24, "Portrait of a man," by Sir Anthony Van Dyck, oil on canvas, 12 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches

Lot 24 is a great portrait of a man by Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641). An oil on canvas, it measures 12 1/2 by 9 1/2 inches. It has an estimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $317,000.

Lot 25, "Christ with the brazen serpent," attributed to Sir Peter Paul Rubens and studio, oil on panel, 42 by 30 1/8 inches

Lot 25 is a large and very striking oil on panel that is attributed to Sir Peter Paul Rubens and Studio. Entitled "Christ with the Brazen Serpent," it measures 42 by 30 1/8 inches.

The catalogue entry provides the following commentary:

"This confidently executed painting illustrates the extreely rare subject of Christ and the Brazen Serpent, an entirely unique image in the output of Rubens. The design and invention of the composition can be attributed to Rubens himself, though the majority of its execution was likely executed by a workshop assistant under Rubens' direct supervision. The painting is a variant of a lost original by Rubens depicting Christ with the cross, which served as one in the series of thirteen panels from circa 1610-12 presenting Christ and the Apostles. That painting was originally from the collection of Don Francisco Gomez de Samdoval y Royas. the duke of Lerma in 1618. Though the complete series of Apostles has been preserved intact at the Museo Nacional del Prado..., no prime version of the central figure of Christ from which the present work derives has emerged."

The lot was a modest estimate of $180,000 to $220,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 26, Antwerp ebony veneered cabinet with illage landscapes and scenes, Isaac Van Ooosten, oil on panels, 38 1/2 by 62 by 15 inches doors open, circa 1645

Lot 26 is a spectacular and very fine ebony veneered cabinet with landscapes and scenes painted on panels by Isaac Van Oosten (1613-1661).

Detail of Lot 26

The cabinet measures with its doors open 38 1/2 by 62 by 15 inches and was created circa 1645.

Another detail of Lot 26

It has a modest estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. It sold for $437,000.

Lot 34, "A Merry Group" by Gerrit Van Honthorst, oil on canvas, 39 1/4 by 54 1/2 inches

Lot 34 is a large oil on canvas by Gerrit van Honthorst (1590-1656) entitled "A Merry Group Behind a Balustrade with a Violin and a Lute Player." It measures 39 1/4 by 54 1/2 inches.

There is an other version of this work, albeit more vivid and contrasty, in the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Lyons, France and this version has only been "rediscovered" according to the catalogue and is know regarded as the authentic version.

It has an estimate of $2,000,000 to $3,000,000. It sold for $7,557,000, the highest price in the auction and a record for the artist at auction.

Lot 35, "A Peasant Family in a Cottage After a Meal," by Adriaen van Ostrade, oil on panel, 14 by 12 inches

Lot 35 is a wonderful and excellent interior family scene by Adriaen van Ostrade (1610-1685) entitled "A Peasant Family in a Cottage after a Meal." An oil on panel, it measures 14 by 12 inches. It has extensive provenance and has been widely published. It has an estimate of $800,000 to $1,200,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 38, "A Child and Nurse in the foyer of an Elegant Townhouse, the Parents Beyond," by Jacob Ochtervelt, oil on canvas, 32 by 26 1/4 inches

The cover illustration of the auction ctalogue is Lot 38, "A Child and Nurse in the Foyer of an Elegant Townhouse , the Parents Beyond," by Jacob Ochtervelt (1634-1682). An oil on canvas, it measures 32 by 26 1/4 inches.

The very charming painting was previously unpublished and is one of 10 "entrance hall" pictures in his oeuvre. It has an estimate of $3,000,000 to $4,000,000. It sold for $4,421,000.

Lot 66. "Two Girls on a Bed Playing with Their Dogs," by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, oil on canvas, 29 1/4 by 23 3/8 inches

Lot 66 is a delightful and very charming work by Jean-Honoré Fragonard (1732-1806). Entitled "Two Girls on a Bed Playing with Their Dogs," it is on oil on canvas that measures 29 1/4 by 23 3/8 inches. It was painted circa 1770. The catalogue entry notes that "while the innocence of the scene is underlined by the stock symbolism of the lapdogs, a gentle eroticism pervades the scene."

Detail of Lot 66

The lot has an estimate of $6,000,000 to $8,000,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 57, "Young Boy Holding Cherries," by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, oil on canvas, 17 inches high

Lot 57 is a charming painting of a"Young Boy Holding Cherries" by Jean-Honoré Fragonard. An oval oil on canvas, it is 17 inches high. It has been widely published and exhibited. It has anestimate of $200,000 to $300,000. It sold for $341,000.

Lot 59, "La cueillette des roses," by Jean-Baptiste Pater,oil on panel, 9 by 12 3/8 inches, part of a pair

Pater 2

Lot 59, "La Musicien," by Jean-Baptiste Pater, oil on panel, 9 by 12 3/8 inches, part of a pair

Lot 59 is a very lovely and very fine pair of oil paintings on panel by Jean-Baptiste Pater (1695-1736). One is entitled "La cueillette des roses" and the other "Le Musicien." Both measure 9 by 12 2/8 inches. Both were once in the collection of Baron James Mayer de Rothschild and were taken by Hermann Goring and subsequently recovered by the Monuments Men from Berchtesgarden and restituted to the Rothschild family. The lot has a low estimate of $300,000 to $500,000. It sold for $581,000.

Lot 56, "The Penitent Magdalene," by Guercino, oil on canvas, 90 3/4 by 69 3/4 inches

Lot 56 is a very large and impressive oil on canvas by Guercino (1591-1666) entitled "The Penitent Magdalene." It measures 90 3/4 by 69 3/4 inches. It was commissioned by Cardinal Fabrizio Savelli, the Papal Legate at Bologne in 1649. It has been very widely published. It has an estimate of $400,000 to $500,000. It failed to sell.

Lot 60, "L'Arc en ciel," by Claude-Joseph Vernet, oil on canvas, 45 by 64 1/8 inches, 1749

Lot 60 is a fine coastal painting with a rainbow by Claude-Joseph Vernet (1714-1789). An oil on canvas, it measures 45 by 64 1/8 inches and was painted in 1749 and is one of a pair of paintings by Vernet in the lot. The lot has an estimate of $1,800,000 to $2,500,000 It failed to sell.

Lot 65, "Landscape with painters near a waterfall," by Hubert Robert, oil on canvas, 91 1/2 by 104 1/4 inches

Lot 65 is a good work by Hubert Robert (1733-1808) that is entitled "Landscape with painters near a waterfall." An oil on canvas, it measures 91 1/2 by 104 1/4 inches. The catalogue entry said it is a "fanciful recreation of the falls at Tivoli." The lot has an estimate of $150,000 to $250,000. It sold for $245,000.

Lot 74, "Houses in Rome, near Santissima Trinita dei Monti," by Eugene Napoleon Neureuther, oil on artist's board mounted on cardboard, 20 2/3 by 29 3/4 inches

Lot 74 is a stunning and very striking cityscape by Eugene Napoleon Neureuther (1806-1882) entitled "Houses in Rome, near Santissima Trinita dei Monti." An oil on artist's board mounted on cardboard, it measures 20 2/3 by 29 3/4 inches and is the back-cover illustration of the auction catalogue. It has an estimate of $180,000 to $250,000. It sold for $221,000.

Afternoon session

Lot 278, "The musical contest," by Circle of Jean-Honoré Fragonard, oil on canvas 28 3/4 by 36 inches

Lot 278 is a charming fork by the Circle of Jean-Honoré Fragonard entitled"The musical contest." An oil on canvas, it measures 28 3/4 by 36 inches. Another version is at the Wallace Collection in London. This lot has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000. It sold for $12,500.

Lot 292, "The great archway," by Hubert Robert, oil on panel, 7 7/8 by 9 7/8 inches

Lot 292 is a very fine small oil on panel by Hubert Robert (1733-1808). Entitled "The great archway," it measures 7 7/8 by 9 7/8 inches. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $59,375.

Lot 206, "The Journey to Emmaus," by Herri Met de Bles, oil on panel, 12 5/8 by 20 inches

Lot 206 is a nice landscape by Herri Met de Bles (circa 1510-after 1550). Entitled "The Journey to Emmaus," it is oil on panel that measures 12 5/8 by 20 inches. It has an estimate of $80,000 to $120,000. It sold for $87,5000.

Lot 202, "A capriccio view of Venice with the Bucintoro," by Louis de Caullery, oil on panel, 19 5/8 by 28 3/8 inches

Lot 202 is a a nice Venetian scene by Louis de Caullery (1582-1621). Entitled "a capriccio view of Venice with the Bucintoro," it is an oil on panel that measures 19 5/8 by 28 3/8 inches. It has an estimate of $70,000 to $90,000. It sold for $87,500.

Lot 205, "Madonna and child standing on a half moon," attributed to Quentin Massys, oil on panel, 14 5/8 by 9 inches

Lot 205, "Madonna and child standing on a half moon," is attributed to Quentin Massys (1466-1530). An oil on panel that measures 14 5/8 by 9 inches. It has an estimate of $60,000 to $80,000. It sold for $87,500.

Lot 211 "Madonna and Child with the infant Saint John The Baptist," by Pseudo Pier Francesco Fiorentino, oil on panel with gold ground, 26 5/8 by 51 5/8 inches

Lot 211, "Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John The Baptist," by Pseudo Pier Francesco Fiorentino (active 1460-1500) is an oil on panel with gold ground. It measures 25 5/8 by 51 5/8 inches. It has an estimate of $40,000 to $60,000. It sold for $37,500.