Jacob Toorenvliet

Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 15 May 1996, lot 52;
There purchased by the present collector.

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 on canvas has an old lining. The paint layer is stable. The cracking is slightly raised but arguably the painting can be viewed in its current state. Under ultraviolet light only a few retouches are visible addressing some of the vertical cracks in the upper right quadrant and although it is possible that beneath an opaque varnish there remain further retouches, the condition does appear to be very respectable. There is some very slight thinness to some of the softer colors but overall the condition is good. The varnish is quite thick and the surface could be more delicate and attractive.
"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."

In the present work, Toorenvliet presents seven Jews, possibly Rabbis, all of various ages, studying Hebrew texts. The men's clothing corresponds to that which was required for Jews in Germany, Austria, and Hungary in the 17th century. Four of the men are wearing prayer shawls (tallith), which has fabric inset (atara) of a different color, the corners of which, however, have no fringes (tzitzit). Judging from the differing ages of the figures in the painting as well as the furnishings of the room, it is likely that Toorenvliet has depicted a Talmudic school. That the figures in the composition appear to be praying, or discussing out loud, further corroborates an argument that they are studying the Talmud, which is often recited out loud in a communal setting. The most famous Talmudic schools were located in Venice, Vienna (both cities in which Toorenvliet had sojourns), and Prague.

A larger work of nearly identical composition is in the National Gallery in Oslo (inv.no. NG.M.94). In contrast to the Oslo painting, the present work lacks the square piece of fabric on the prayer shawls of the figure sitting on the right. Additionally, the Oslo picture includes embossing as well extra clasps on the book on the right edge of the picture. There is a companion piece to the picture in Oslo (inv.no. NG.M.95) signed JToornvliet (instead of JToorenvliet), which indicates that the picture was not painted until after Toorenvliet's stays in Rome, Venice and Vienna, from which he returned to the Netherlands in 1680. In addition to the Oslo picture, two further works of the present composition are known, though their attributions are uncertain. One offered in London, Christie's, 5 July 1929, lot 70 (as by Gabriel Metsu); the second, offered in New York, Christie's, 13 March 1980, lot 94 (as Attributed to Jacob Toorenvliet). The motif of the man sitting in the right foreground with the prayer shawl pulled over his head can be found in other depictions of Jews at study by Toorenvliet; for example one in the National Gallery Prague.

We are grateful to Dr. Susanne H. Karau for confirming the attribution to Toorenvliet based on photographs, and for her assistance in the cataloguing of this picture. Dr. Karau dates the picture to 1679 or shortly thereafter.