Roelandt Savery

In the collection of the family of the present owners for at least two generations.

The following condition report is provided by Hamish Dewar who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: The copper panel is providing a secure support. The paint surface has a relatively even varnish layer. Old discoloured retouchings are visible in the sky in natural light. Inspection under ultra-violet light shows an opaque and discoloured varnish layer and retouchings mainly in the sky and smaller retouchings in the rocks and trees. Overall the painting is in good condition. The work is framed.
"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."

This unpublished painting would appear to date to circa 1608, when Savery was in the employ of Emperor Rudolf II in Prague. Many small-scale works of this period from the Prague School, including Savery's own, are painted on copper - probably because the supply of panels to Bohemia was less reliable than the rich abundance of local minerals. Sent by the emperor on an artistic expedition to the Tyrol in 1606, Savery produced a number of works depicting wooded, mountainous landscapes – often featuring blasted trees, as in the foreground of this work. The small figures, positioned at the edge of the composition and incidental to the subject of the landscape itself, are also characteristic of Savery's paintings of this time.¹

1. For example, the works in the Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum, Hannover (inv. no. KA154/1967) and the Stedelijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Gent (inv. no. 1955/A); see K.J. Müllenmeister, Roelant Savery, Freren 1988, pp. 211 and 213–16, cat. nos 47 and 50, reproduced.