Moses van Wtenbrouck

With Dr. R. Grosse, Berlin, 1938;
Mr. L. Berlin,
By whom (anonymously) offered, 30 March 1939, lot 995;
Anonymous sale, Berlin, Lange, 25 January 1940, lot 35 (reoffered by Mr. L. Berlin);
Anonymous sale, ("The Property of a Gentleman"), London, Philips, 15 April 1991, lot 34, for £ 11.000.

 

 

U. Weisner, 'Die Gemälde des Moyses van Uytterbroeck', in Oud Holland, vol. 79, 1964, no. 4, p. 220, no. 14.

The actual painting is warmer and a little less yellow in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The panel consists of one plank, slightly bevelled on all but the lower side. No major damages are apparent. A small restored horizontal split of approx. 10 cm. can be seen to the front in the lower left. The paint layer is generally sound. The paint layer which is thinly applied has grown a little thin in the background and the sky. Some old discoloured retouchings are visible in the sky. The paint layer is under a dirty varnish layer. Inspection under UV light seems to be impeded by the dirty varnish layer, but does reveal some tiny scattered retouchings in the sky, one bigger retouching on the left near the edge and some strengthening in the landscape in the lower left. Offered in a black ebonized wooden frame in good condition. (MvE)
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In 1620, Van Wtenbrouck entered the painter's guild in The Hague, where he worked his entire life. Already in his own time, he was celebrated for his Italianate landscapes with historical or mythological subjects, many of which were taken from Ovid's Metamorphoses.¹ His Arcadian landscapes appealed to an intellectual audience and as a result, he was one of the best paid painters in his days.² He also painted a number of more serene and monochrome pastoral landscapes, with reclining shepherds and shepherdesses surrounded by their herd, such as this painting, and one sold in these Rooms, 10 May 2005, lot 104.

1. See for example his Forest Pool with Hermaphroditus and Salmacis, oil on panel, 43 by 66 cm., Rijksdienst Beeldende Kunst, The Hague, inv. no. NK 2532, in E. Buijsen (ed.), Haagse Schilders in de Gouden Eeuw, Zwolle 1999, p. 272, fig. 1.
2. op.cit., p. 272.