Philips Wouwerman

In the possession of the family of the present owner since at least the late 19th century.

B. Schumacher, Philips Wouwerman, vol. I, Ghent 2006, p. 259, cat. no. A221, reproduced vol. II, plate 204 (where incorrectly listed as being painted on copper).

"The following condition report has been provided by Henry Gentle, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. The oak panel is in good condition with no deformations or splits. The paint surface is stable but is slightly raised in some areas and there is evidence of previous minute paint loss. The wood grain can be seen through the paint in the sky and there is a scattering of previous retouchings, visible under U-V light, in this area to reduce this effect( behind the mounted figures, right). There is the remains of an older varnish in the foreground and some compromised paint in the darker passages here too. The paint of the figures and horses is well preserved, crisp and strong and not subjected to previous abrasive cleaning. There would be an improved tonal quality if the varnish were removed. Gilt frame-minor chips."
"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."

This painting most probably dates from the second half of the 1650s, when Wouwerman seems to have made a particularly successful speciality of hunting subjects set in vaguely italianate spaces and painted with bright local colours. Such pieces were amongst his most prized subjects, particularly among French and English collectors of the the late 18th and 19th centuries.