Auktion: Klassiskt
Till katalogen
Hammered at SEK 300.000 at Uppsala Auktionskammare’s Important Sale 16-18 June 2020
Lot 20. Jan Davidsz. de Heem (Holland 1606‑1684). Studio of. Still life with sweetmeats, nuts in a Wanli porcelain bowl and drinking vessels. Indistinctly signed. Oil on panel, 50 x 68 cm.
Recorded in the RKD as ”omgeving van Jan Davidsz. de Heem en mogelijk Johannes Hannot, ca. 1654”, see https://rkd.nl/explore/images/63064.
With label on the back: Bernard Houthakker Amsterdam 332 N.Z. Voorburgwal.
300.000 – 400.000 SEK
€ 28.000 – 38.000
The auctioneer Jeronimo de Vries, Amsterdam, 8 March 1824, lot 64.
Kunsthandel Houthakker, Amsterdam, around 1921-1926.
Art dealer M. Wolff, Amsterdam, before 1938.
The collection of B.J. Dorlas, Bloemendaal, by inheritance.
Sotheby’s London, Old Master Paintings, 16 December 1999, lot 38.
Swedish private collection.
Fred G. Meijer, Jan Davidsz. de Heem 1606‑1684, 2016, I, recorded as no. A 66 as Johannes Hannot, illustrated p. 197, fig. A 66.
The present painting of a still life with sweetmeats, nuts in a Wanli porcelain bowl and drinking vessels is published in Fred G. Meijer, Jan Davidsz. de Heem 1606-1684, 2016, I, no. A 66 as Johannes Hannot. This tentative attribution to Johannes Hannot (1633-1684) was suggested by Fred G. Meijer, comparing it to the still life signed and dated 1654 by Hannot, now in the Rheinisches Landes Museum, Bonn, inv. no. 35. 256; see F.G. Meijer op. cit., 2016, I, p. 196, fig. A 64. Both the Bonn painting and the painting in this sale reflect compositions by Jan Davidsz. de Heem in the mid 1650’s. Johannes Hannot, born in Leyden in 1633, is known for his still life paintings. He was enrolled in the Saint Luke’s Guild in Leyden in 1650 and is supposed to have been active in the studio of de Heem in the years around 1654. The present painting could be seen as a workshop replica, although with some variations, of the Jan Davidsz. de Heem’s still life now in the Betty and David Koetser Foundation, Zurich, on loan to the Kunsthaus in Zurich; see F.G. Meijer op. cit., 2016, II, pp. 203/4, no. A 184. The painting shows some similarities such as the two oranges arranged in the same positions, the ribbed beer glass and the Venetian-style wine glass as well as the lemon on top of the jug.
The de Heem studio in the mid 1650’s had many commissions for new paintings. Jan Davidsz. de Heem’s remarkable talent had gained him a considerable reputation. Apart from his two sons he had several apprentices including Alexander Coosemans and Johannes Hannot. Considered one of the greatest painters of his time de Heem had a great influence on both his own generation of painters and many to come. He was born in Utrecht and moved to the Southern Netherlands where he enrolled in Saint Luke’s Guild in Antwerp. De Heem was known for his still lifes; both with fruits and flowers as well as vanitas still lifes. In the sumptuous still lifes, the so-called “pronkstillevens”, he would excel in his manner of depicting objects accurately and in a harmony of colours.
The Dutch and Flemish tradition of still life’s in the 17th century originated already with Roman wall paintings and mosaics, through the Middle Ages and early Renaissance depictions of inanimate objects, resulting in the realistic captions of everyday objects. In the 16th century a large interest for the natural world with botanical encyclopaedias would open up for the still life practice as well as patrons creating cabinets of curiosities where the artists could capitalize and produce still life paintings. The market for flower still lifes became strong, as the flowers would appeal both as aesthetic objects as well as religious symbols. The peaking craze for tulips also added to the popularity. Also “ontbijtjes” or “breakfast paintings” and other still lifes with tableware with glass, plates, vases, food, fruits and other objects related to the delicacies the upper class could enjoy were common. In a way they worked as religious reminders to avoid gluttony, they also showed the artists skills in depicting these beautiful objects. Jan Davidsz. de Heem was one of the most important still life painters of his time and contributed to this tradition of painting with many followers, whereof Johannes Hannot was one.