W. Mertens* (active 1640-1660)

Details

W. Mertens* (active 1640-1660)

A Box, a Basket overflowing with assorted Fruit including Grapes, Peaches and a Melon, a pewter Plate with Grapes, Pears, Figs, Peaches, and Bread, a Pheasant Pie, Oysters, Shrimp, and a Lobster in a Wanli Kraak porselein Bowl beside a silver Jug on a table draped with a green velvet Cloth

oil on canvas
50 5/8in x 69in. (128.6 x 175.3cm.)

Provenance

Goudstikker, Holland, 1920
with Galerie Stern, Düsseldorf.

Literature

Goudstikker, Collectie Goudstikker, Rotterdam, 1917, no. 17, as Jan Davidsz. de Heem.
Goudstikker, Catalogue de la Collection Goudstikker; 'Pulchri Studio', Nov. 1919, no. 53, as Jan Davidsz. de Heem.
Mededeelingen Dienst voor Kunsten en Wetenschappen, II, vol. I, March 1926, The Hague, no. 78, p. 36, as Jan Davidsz. de Heem.

Exhibited

Copenhagen, The Statens Museum for Konst, Konstforening, 1920, no. 25, as Jan Davidsz. de Heem.
Stockholm, Kongliga Akadermien for de Fria Konsterna, 1920, no. 25, as Jan Davidsz. de Heem.
New York, Goudstikker collection of Amsterdam, Anderson Gallery, March 10-April 7, 1923, no. 52, as Jan Davidsz. de Heem.

Lot Essay

Little is known about W. Mertens, though he can probably be identified with Wouter Mertens who is mentioned as holding office in the Antwerp Guild of Saint Luke in 1641-2. Known to be an imitator of Jan Davidsz. de Heem he uses many of the same motifs and compositional devices of this artist which he then repeats in the few signed paintings of his own which have come to light. (see, for example, the painting sold at Christie's, London, July 8, 1983, lot 69, and another sold at Christie's, London, March 25, 1977, lot 39). Two further works are in the Schloss Oranienbaum, Germany, and in the Brukenthal Museum, Sibiu, Romania.