FRANS FRANCKEN THE YOUNGERANTWERP 1581 - 1642ANDABRAHAM GOVAERTSANTWERP 1589 - 1626 | The Virgin and Child attended by angels in a landscape, surrounded by scenes from the Life of Christ in grisaille

Anonymous sale ('The Property of a Gentleman'), London, Christie’s, 27 April 1934, lot 57 (as circle of Brueghel and Van Balen), for £36–15s. to Borman;
Anonymous sale, Brussels, Palais des Beaux-Arts, 23–24 April 1974, lot 35 (as attributed to Jan Brueghel and Pieter van Balen);
Private collection, Wichelen.

U. Härting, Frans Francken der Jüngere, Freren 1989, vol. II, p. 266, cat. no. 128, reproduced in colour pl. 26 (as Francken the Younger and studio [Govaerts?];
C.L. Virdis and D. Banzato, Fiamminghi: arte fiamminga e olandese del Seicento nella Repubblica Veneta, Milan 1990, p. 110, under cat. no. 39, reproduced (as Francken the Younger and studio); 
U. Härting and K. Borms, Abraham Govaerts: der Waldmaler (1589–1626), Habichtswald 2003, p. 153, cat. no. 145, reproduced fig. 139 (as Francken the Younger and Govaerts).

The copper plate is uneven but stable. The paint surface is dirty, and the varnish is discoloured. There are small losses and larger areas of discoloured retouching scattered throughout, particularly in the decorative border, notably in areas of all four of the gilded corners and in parts of the grisaille scenes, especially that on the left margin. There are also retouchings in the central image, notably around the figure of Saint Joseph, in the sky, in the foreground, and in the trees above the Virgin and Child. Some of the foliage in the lower left corner appears to have been repainted as well. The painting is in overall moderate condition.
"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."

The present painting is one of four recorded versions by Francken and Govaerts which depict a central Madonna and Child in a landscape setting, surrounded by biblical vignettes in grisaille. The other versions are in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Dijon (inv. no. 103);¹ the National Gallery of Slovenia, Ljubljana (NGS 811);² and a private collection, Spain.³ These seem to be based on an initial collaboration between Jan Brueghel the Younger and Francken himself, which is today in the Museo Civico, Vicenza (inv. no. A743).⁴ It would appear that these later versions, dated to the 1620s, were a continuation of this type, with the figures and grisaille scenes executed by Francken, and the landscape by collaborators such as Govaerts. Other versions executed with different collaborators have appeared on the market, such as that by Francken and Jan van Kessel, which sold London, Christie's, 21 July 1972, lot 116. 1 Härting 1989, p. 266, cat. no. 130.
2 F. Zeri and K. Rozman, Tuji slikarji od 14. do 20. stoletja, Ljubljana 1983, pp. 158–59, cat. no. 88, reproduced fig. 86.
3 Härting 1989, p. 266, cat. no. 129, reproduced.
4 F. Barbieri, Il Museo Civico di Vicenza, Venice 1962, vol. 8, pp. 203–05, cat. no. A743, reproduced.