Johann Wilhelm Baur

Princess Charles d'Arenberg;
Her sale, Brussels, Galerie Georges Giroux, November 15,1926, lot 7 (as Spanish School, 17th Century).

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting in its elaborate frame is generally in healthy condition, particularly for a large-scale picture like this. Under ultraviolet light, not a lot of restoration, if any, is visible, which is in part due to an old dirt layer and also possibly to a varnish which obscures some of the restorations. There is a restoration visible in the path in the lower center beneath the figures and there may be a few other random spots in the lower half of the picture. In the upper portion there is slight thinness to the profiles of the trees and a few spots of restoration in the sky. There is a join which runs from right to left approximately five inches from the top edge, which adds a section of canvas that is not original despite the fact that the cracking and restoration is very convincing here. If the picture were to be cleaned, this section may become more obvious, and so care should be taken to include this section because it has been very nicely added and it works with the frame.
"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 is a rare work in oil by Baur who is best known for his miniature paintings in watercolor on parchment and his engravings depicting the villas and parks of Rome.  Baur is recorded in Rome in the 1630s where he found steady work with a number of aristocratic patrons including the Duke of Bracciano and Ferdinando Colonna, Prince of Paliano.  A small group of paintings in oil have been assigned to Baur and the present painting can be compared to two other works in oil ascribed to him:  another View of the Gardens of the Villa d'Este, Tivoli (private collection, Rome) and a View of the Villa Borghese (private collection, Montreux).¹

The Villa d'Este  and gardens were built by Ippolito II d'Este, Cardinal of Ferrara who, in 1550, was appointed governor of Tivoli.  He decided to transform the governor's residence, which had been in an old monastery, into a grand villa with extensive gardens designed by the architect/archaeologist, Pirro Ligorio (circa 1510-1583).   The gardens extended downwards from steep terraces behind the villa to the lower gardens in the valley and were famed, as they still are today, for their splendid fountains and water jets (giochi d'acqua).

 

1.  See L. Salerno, Pittori di paesaggio del Seicento a Roma, Rome 1980, Vol. II, pp. 463 and 465, reproduced figs. 74.2 and 74.5.