Galerie Dreyfus
89
-
JACOB VAN HULSDONCK (ANTWERP, 1582 – ANTWERP, 1647)
Chinese …
See original version (French)
89
-
JACOB VAN HULSDONCK (ANTWERP, 1582 – ANTWERP, 1647)
Chinese …
See original version (French)
Estimate €30,000 - €38,000
Voluntary lot
Description
JACOB VAN HULSDONCK
(ANTWERP, 1582 – ANTWERP, 1647)
Chinese porcelain plate, Wanli period,
depicting bunches of grapes and apricots
c. 1620
Oil on panel.
27.5 x 34.5 cm
On the reverse: Antwerp mark.
Certificate by René Millet
Provenance
Paris, formerly in the collection of Georges Ryaux (1894–1978),
Estate sale of Georges Ryaux, Paris, 24 October 1979, lot 86 (illustrated),
Auction, Paris, 19 June 1986, lot 280 (illustrated),
Galerie Michel Segoura, Paris.
Filling the entire space within a very tight frame, this fruit still life presents itself to
the viewer in all its majesty. By substituting contemplation for tasting, the painter succeeds
in making our mouths water. The grapes, whether translucent or glossy, golden-brown or crimson, are
rendered with masterful realism. The peaches, for their part, display their fuzzy skin,
which is more matt but just as appetising. The few insects—flies and wasps—are
undoubtedly drawn to gather the nectar. This abundance is matched by the
luxury of the Chinese porcelain dish, which reveals the openness to the world
of a prosperous Dutch society. Indeed, the East India Company imported goods from the Far East onto the
European market, amongst which Chinese porcelain was one of the most coveted
precious objects, as it was synonymous with luxury and refinement. Such ostentation
appealed to the flourishing bourgeoisie of the Golden Age, who identified more with still lifes
than with religious or mythological history paintings.
Jacob van Hulsdonck (1582–1647) was a Flemish painter, born in Antwerp. It was in Middelburg
that he trained under Ambrosius Bosschaert (1573–1621) in the art of still-life painting,
which he would go on to specialise in. In this port city, a rival to Amsterdam, there was an abundance of
exotic goods and produce, notably Chinese porcelain, which would become a recurring motif in his
compositions. On his return to Antwerp, Jacob van Hulsdonck joined the painters’ guild in
1608 and, from 1613 to 1623, ran a thriving studio, renowned for the refinement of his
still lifes of flowers and fruit. His compositions, influenced by Balthasar van der Alst (1593–1657),
were to have a lasting legacy through his pupil Isaak Soreau (1604–1644) and later through Frans Snyders
(1579–1657). His masterpieces are held at the Paul Getty Museum and the National Gallery
in Washington.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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