A scene from Aesop's Fables: The Porcupine and the Snakes

Details

Jan van Kessel I (Antwerp 1626-1679)
A scene from Aesop's Fables: The Porcupine and the Snakes
signed and dated 'Joannes. van. kessel. fecit. anno 1660-' (lower right)
oil on copper
8 x 11¾ in. (20.3 x 29.9 cm.)

Provenance

Miss E.M. Edye.
Captain E.G. Spencer-Churchill, M.C., Northwick Park; Christie's, London, 25 February 1966, lot 75 (£2,100 to the following).
with Richard Green, London, from whom acquired by the late owner in 1966.

Literature

Captain E.G. Spencer-Churchill, The Northwick Rescues, 1912-1961, Evesham, 1961, no. 27.

Brought to you by

Alexis Ashot

aashot@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2248

Lot Essay

Jan van Kessel's fascination with bizarre and exotic subject matter is well exemplified by the present work, which is a highly innovative interpretation of one of Aesop's fables. The Porcupine and the Sna kes offers a coded warning against careless hospitality. According to the fable, a porcupine sought shelter in a cave that housed a nest of snakes. The snakes felt prevailed upon and allowed him in. However, the porcupine's spines caused such discomfort and annoyance that the snakes soon came to rue their decision and asked the porcupine to leave. The porcupine refused saying: 'Let them quit the place that don't like it; for my part, I am well enough satisfied as I am'. In other words, hospitality is a virtue but should be wisely exercised. Without due care and attention it is enemies rather than friends who can be entertained.

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