Workshop of Artus Quellinus I (1609-1668) Netherlandish, Amsterdam, mid-17th Century

Nystad Antiquairs, Amsterdam

Overall the condition of the terracotta is good with dirt and wear to the surface consistent with age. The slip covering the surface is flaking in areas, in particular around Diana's face, neck and proper right arm, and to the dolphin and monster. There is also some blackening to the surface, and there is a wax fill near the top end of the torch. There are some losses to the edges of the relief, including a loss to the left corner of the parapet, below the lobster. There are additional minor losses to the torch near the flames, to Diana's proper right little finger, and to the dolphin's tail. There is apparent restoration to the top of the relief, behind the goddess' head, and the left tip of the crescent moon may be reattached. There is a small drilled hole to the right of Diana's head. There are minor abrasions to the drapery at the abdomen and there is a slight stable fissure at the bow, below the proper left hand. There are small losses to the reverse, in particular along the bottom edge. A rectangle of grey composite material, possibly terracotta, has been inserted in the middle. Above, a smaller block of terracotta has been inserted. These inserts are clearly for support, and appear to have age to them; they are probably contemporary with the relief.
"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.
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The present relief is part of a group of terracottas which record Artus Quellinus’ great sculptural programme for the Amsterdam Town Hall, once referred to as the eighth wonder of the world and now known as the Royal Palace on the Dam.

Over the course of fifteen years starting in 1650, Artus Quellinus I worked alongside Jacob van Campen on the Town Hall, creating one of the grandest buildings in Europe. The central hall, the most beautiful room in the Netherlands, and its adjacent corridors, were decorated with an iconographical scheme that reflected the force and intellectual prowess of the City of Amsterdam. Alongside Van Campen and Quellinus, painters like Rembrandt and Ferdinand Bol provided decorations for the space, deliberately creating a room in which the arts were unified. The series of marble reliefs of classical gods, in which the present composition also features, is amongst the most beautiful parts of the sceme.

In addition to Quellinus' marble in the Amsterdam Town Hall there seem to be three terracotta versions of the present relief: one in the Rijksmuseum and illustrated by Leeuwenberg (op.cit., no. 290), one from a private collection, which was exhibited in Beeldhouwkunst in de Eeuw van Rubens (op.cit., no. 106) and later sold by Nystad Antiquairs, and the present relief, which was also acquired from Nystad.

The three versions differ in details. The Leonhardt relief is larger than the other two terracottas and therefore more closely approaches the size of the marble. The inside of the frame of the present relief is close to the other Nystad version, being more elaborate than the Rijksmuseum terracotta. The figure is placed further back on the base in both the marble and the other Nystad relief. The deer's antler, in turn, is identical to the Rijksmuseum relief, but less branched than the other two. The differences between the reliefs suggest that they were part of the artistic process of designing the marbles, or were alternatively perhaps practice pieces or commissioned mementos from the workshop of Quellinus. The relief of Mars, which was exhibited alongside one of the other Dianas in Beeldhouwkunst in de Eeuw van Rubens (no. 107) has similar dimensions as the Leonhardt relief.

RELATED LITERATURE
J. Leeuwenberg and W. Halsema-Kubes, Beeldhouwkunst in het Rijksmuseum, cat. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, The Hague, 1973, pp. 223-224, no. 290; R. de Roo and Ph. Roberts-Jones (eds.), Beeldhouwkunst in de Eeuw van Rubens, exh. cat. Museum voor Oude Kunst, Brussels, 1977, pp. 144-146, nos. 106-107; F. Scholten, Artus Quellinus. Sculptor of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 2010