Johannes Bouman

The actual painting is slightly softer and warmer in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The panel consists of two planks, joined horizontally, the battons on the reverse have been removed. The panel is bevelled on the left and right edge and there is a small wood loss in the lower right corner. The painting appears to be shaven on the right edge. A few tiny wood chips can be seen along the left edge in front. The paint surface seems to be in good condition, with the impasto of the leaves stil nicely preserved. The join is visible to the front and has been retouched. A few tiny retouchings can be observed in the fruits. The painting is covered under a discoloured varnish layer. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals the retouchings as mentioned above and also that the varnish layer fluoresces in places. Offered in a painted carved and giltwood frame, with gilt inlay, a few tiny chips (ML).
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Not much of the artist's life is recorded nor is Bouman's oeuvre well studied. His fruit still lifes show the influence of Balthasar van der Ast (1593/4 -1657), but also attest to Bouman's own characteristic handling, in particular the robust forms of the fruit. Here the fruits are situated close to the picture plane and their bold forms are surrounded by the irregular contour lines of the leaves. The straightforwardness of the image is strengthened by the limited palette with its rich colour contrasts. A comparable, but more elaborate composition is in the Musée de Strasbourg (inv. no. 379), which is signed and dated 1635.¹ Both the present work and the Strasbourg picture deviate from Bouman's compositional norm, since in both pictures the fruit is placed directly on the stone ledge and not in a bowl or basket.

1. See E. Gemar-Koeltzsch, Holländische Stillebenmaler im 17. Jahrhundert, Lingen 1995, vol. 2, p. 182, reproduced.