Gerrit Claesz. Bleker

Estimate

14,000 - 18,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Gerrit Claesz. Bleker
The Meeting of Jacob and Esau
signed and dated lower left: Bleker f 1635
oil on oak panel

Provenance

Anonymous sale, London, Sotheby's, 28 April 1948, lot 100, where acquired by:
Ephraim I. Schapiro, London;
By whose Executors sold, London, Christie's, 29 June 1979, lot 3;
Possibly with Rafael Valls, London;
With Richard L. Feigen & Co., New York, inv. no. 16389-C (both the above according to labels on the reverse).

Catalogue Note

Bleker was trained by Pynas, and it is thus not surprising that his work shows a preference for the Old Testament subjects favoured by his master and the other Pre-Rembrandtists. Dr. Ephraim Schapiro was an ardent collector of Dutch paintings of this sort. He owned another Bleker, painted in 1637, depicting The Departure of Abraham & Sarah from Lot and his Wife (sold London, Bonhams, 10 December 2002, lot 8).