Jacob Jordaens

Anonymous sale, London, Christie's, 11 July 2001, lot 16.

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 is in good condition. The piece of wood is very healthy, it is un-reinforced on the reverse and the paint layer is stable. The paint layer seems to be clean and the painting can be hung as is. Under ultraviolet light there are vestiges of old varnish visible here and there but very few retouches have been applied and in most areas hardly any restorations are visible at all. It seems that almost every retouching is in the body of the bearded seated figure on the left.
"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."

It has been suggested by musical instrument specialist, Mercier Ythier, that this work once formed the lid of a small Ruckers harpsichord or virginals.  The Ruckers family was based in Antwerp and was the most influential maker of virginals during the 16th and 17th centuries, pioneering many advances in design and musical clarity.  The size of the present panel closely corresponds to the dimensions of the instrument's lid, and certainly the subject matter would be appropriate for use in this way.  Additionally, the Ruckers were known to collaborate with artists including Peter Paul Rubens and the Brueghels for the decoration of their instruments.

The subject of the present panel is taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses, XI:  146-193, and tells the story of the musical contest between Pan and Apollo. In this tale, Pan boasts that his music is more beautiful than Apollo's, and to prove it, agrees to a competition with him.  The mountain god Timolus, shown seated on the left, agrees to be the judge.  As is clear from his pointing finger, the god chooses Apollo's artful lyre melody over Pan's earthy pipes; however, King Midas -- also in attendance -- disagrees and is awarded ass's ears for his pride in thinking his opinion better than the god's. 

This work is related to a drawing of the same subject in the British Museum (R.A. D'Hulst, Jordaen's Drawings, London 1974, vol I, no. A.140, reproduced vol. III, fig. 153), although with a few significant differences.  In the present work, for example, an embracing satyr couple replaces a group of four figures seen in the drawing, and there have also been alterations in King Midas's costume and Apollo's drapery.    A painting more closely corresponding to the composition of the drawing and attributed by D'Hulst to Jordaens and his Studio was on the art market in 1985 (Zürich, Koller, 18-22 June 1985, lot 5033).  A near copy of the present work -- whereabouts currently unknown -- but with a different landscape background, was sold Vienna, 8 April 1922, lot 57. 

The present work will be illustrated in Claude Mercier-Ythier's forthcoming publication, Les Clavecins, which will be published in February 2011.