Isaac van Ostade

Acquired by the late husband of the present owner before the 1970s.

The following condition report is provided by Sarah Walden, who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is on a fine oak panel with one central joint, bevelled all round. This has been cradled some time ago, probably in the earlier twentieth century, when the central joint seems to have opened partially and been reglued at least along the left side. The central bar of the cradle supports the joint, but has caused slight indented warped lines on either side of the bar as it has resisted the movement of the panel. However this is not very recent and may have reached some sort of stable balance. The present restoration may also date from the same period as the cradling, earlier in the last century. The lower part of the painting is in beautifully intact condition in every detail. There is a little line of retouching along the joint. The lighter parts of the sky, for instance at upper right, appear also to be rather well preserved with occasional minor retouchings. However the blue sky on the left has widespread old retouching, which has now darkened extensively. Under ultra violet light much of the sky has had a certain amount of this old retouching, which could conceivably have been a largely cosmetic attempt to brighten a blue sky, unless there is some underlying wear. However the foliage against the sky is almost all beautifully intact and the general condition of the painting is remarkably good throughout elsewhere. 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."

Characterstic of Isack van Ostade's work of the mid-1640s, this painting is composed on a diagonal receding towards the left, with a pool of yellow light illuminating the central group of figures theatrically. Ostade's vision of his peasant subjects is caricatural and unpitying, as he focuses on their drunkenness as they swirl mouths agape to the raucous sound of the bagpipes, outside an inn that is so ramshackle that it only seems to be kept from collapsing by the vegetation growing out of and through it. He lends the scene a touch of humanity, however, in the two children in the right foreground, who stand like an elderly couple observing the debauchery, the girl with her hand touching the back of the boy, he reaching his left hand behind him to touch hers. 

This work is unrecorded in the literature. We are grateful to Dr Hiltraud Doll for confirming the attribution on the basis of first-hand inspection.  She will include it in her forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the works of Adriaen and Isack van Ostade.