Circle of Marten van Cleve I

The support consists of a flat oak panel, which is cradled on the reverse and bevelled along the 2 vertical edges (it is not possible to inspect the horizontal edges due to the cradling). There are two horizontal splits, one 1/4 of the way down, the other 1/4 of the way up, along which there are the usual restored flakes and losses. There is a small area of abrasion upper left and some restored damages along the extreme upper margin. Overall the paint surface is in good condition. The varnsih is slightly uneven. Sold with a modern cassetta frame in good condition.
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The composition exists in another, slightly smaller, version, sold London, Christie's South Kensington, 27 October 1988, lot 53, as 'Circle of Pieter Brueghel the Younger' (see K. Ertz, Pieter Brueghel der Jüngere, vol. II, Lingen 1988, p. 734, no. A999, reproduced). As Ertz states, it is clearly unconnected with Brueghel's output and would appear to have been established by an artist working in the immediate circle of Marten van Cleve.