Lot 105
  • 105

Circle of Maerten van Heemskerck

Estimate
20,000 - 30,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Maerten van Heemskerck
  • Classical Landscape with ships running before a storm towards a classical harbour, probably corinth
  • inscribed: NON OMNIBUS COTIGIT ADIRE CHORINTHUM/ D.N.
  • oil on panel

Provenance

With Wildenstein, New York;
Acquired from the above at least thirty years ago by the family of the present owner.

Catalogue Note

The design of this landscape is clearly strongly related to Maerten van Heemskerck's famous landscape of The Rape of Helen, painted while he was in Italy circa 1535-6, and today in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore 1.  Though the Baltimore picture is much larger, both depict shipping beneath stormy skies running towards classical harbours, perhaps Corinth here and Rhodes in Baltimore, beyond which lie landscapes teeming with classical buildings and monuments. The Latin inscription, literally 'Not all will reach Corinth' is probably intended as an admonition of mortality.

1. Reproduced in R. Grosshans, Maerten van Heemskerck, Berlin 1980, p.116, no. 19.