Anthonie Verstraelen

With P. de Boer, Amsterdam, 1961.

The following condition report is provided by Sarah Walden, who is an external expert and not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is on a fine oak panel with one joint in the middle, which has never moved. It has a comparatively recent cradle, and the present restoration is not very old with a clear transparent varnish. There are no cracks or sign of past movement and the cradle was apparently a superfluous gesture. There are a very few minimal scattered retouchings, mainly surface touches in the lower sky, with one slightly more substantial in the cloud at centre right near the lower branch of the tree. One other little touch in the upper central cloud can just about be seen with the naked eye, and there are one or two in the ice and minimally along the base edge, but essentially the painting has survived in exceptionally good condition throughout. The delicate detail in the faintest most distant trees near the horizon is still intact as is the pale icy light and contrast in tone and focus towards the figures in the foreground which are also beautifully intact and unworn. This report was not done under laboratory conditions.
"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."

Datable on grounds of style circa 1639-40.

This dating is supported by a dendrochronological report on the panel done by Ian Tyers.  The panel is composed of two planks cut from the same Baltic oak tree.  The last growth ring is from 1618, from which a plausible felling date after circa 1626, and a date of use from the early 1630s onwards may be extrapolated.  A copy of Dr. Tyers' report is available on request.