Dirck van Delen

Private collection, England, since the nineteenth century, until acquired by Otto Naumann, New York;
With Robert Noortman, Maastricht & London, 2001, when acquired by the present collector.

"The following condition report has been provided by Sarah Walden, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is on a fine copper panel, that is perfectly flat apart from a slight dent from behind at the middle of the extreme left edge and a little old bend in the top right corner. These have both been retouched, and there are some small chips retouched along the middle of the base edge, also one retouching in the base of the column by the left edge, one other small retouching in the top of the arch of the central aisle, with one or two tiny touches nearby and in the cornice over the left arch. These are minimal imperfections across an almost immaculate paint surface. The delicacy and finesse of the brushwork is exceptionally well preserved, with lovely liquid precision. The signature itself is lit by a shaft of light across the carved entablature at upper left, perfectly intact, as is the finest detail for instance of minute figures in the distant side aisles. This report was not done under laboratory conditions."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

By the time he painted this picture, Van Delen had settled in Arnemuiden, near Middelburg in Zeeland, where he seems to have remained for the rest of his life.  He specialized in architectural pictures which comprise his entire surviving oeuvre with the exception of a single flower piece.  His small scale pictures are among his most successful works, and his refined technique is ideally suited to the copper support he has chosen here.