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拍品專文
Although this painting is not mentioned in the catalogue by Grisebach (L. Grisebach, Willem Kalf, Berlin, 1974) there is no doubt about its authenticity. There are several compositions by Kalf that are quite similar to the present work. Individual details recur in other pictures by Kalf. The closest related work is a still life, formerly in the Neues Palais, Potsdam (present whereabouts unknown; L. Grisebach, op. cit., p. 256, no. 99, ill. 97). It contains the same bowl with peeled lemon, orange and peaches, knife, watch, roemer and tall glass goblet, while the end of the ledge is also partially covered with a carpet. The main difference from the present lot is the peeled lemon which is placed inside and not outside the porcelain bowl. Grisebach relates the Potsdam canvas to a group of three still life paintings of 1659 which have a comparable rigorous composition (L. Grisebach, op.cit., nos. 95-97). Given these similarities, it would seem that it is likely that Kalf painted the present still life circa 1659.
With his masterful way of handling light Kalf created an illusionism on a level that was hardly approached by other still life painters of his time and earned him the position as one of the best known and most highly rated still life painters of the Dutch 17th century. Like other comparable compositions such as the still life with an oriental rug in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, "the artist placed his objects in what essentially is a dark spot, and proceeded to manipulate his lightning, thus creating near-magical effects. Here, the bowl of fruit is lit strongly from the left, but the light barely creates shadow. Additionally, the soft sheen on the oriental carpet seems to have a source of its own, just as the light which causes the sparkling reflections on the glass objects. Kalf's choice of colours gives his paintings strength and warmth: the combination of the bright blue and white of the dish with the warm tones of the oriental rug and the orange and yellow of the fruit gives the image a very strong presence. Although it would have been practically impossible to light such an arrangement as Kalf did, the illusion is complete and the image does not strike as unnatural." (Fred G. Meijer, The Ashmolean Museum Oxford. Catalogue of the collection of paintings. The collection of Dutch and Flemish Still-life paintings bequeathed by Daisy Linda Ward, Oxford/Zwolle, 2003, pp. 226-7, no. 40).
Offered with a copy of a certificate of authenticity from E. Plietzsch, (dated 26 May 1942). Here Plietzsch mentions that the painting belonged to the so-called Oranische heritage, which included a famous series of still lives by Willem Kalf and later came into the Hohenzollern collection.
We are grateful to Fred Meijer of the RKD, The Hague, for confirming the attribution based upon personal inspection (verbal communication, 6 March 2013).
With his masterful way of handling light Kalf created an illusionism on a level that was hardly approached by other still life painters of his time and earned him the position as one of the best known and most highly rated still life painters of the Dutch 17th century. Like other comparable compositions such as the still life with an oriental rug in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, "the artist placed his objects in what essentially is a dark spot, and proceeded to manipulate his lightning, thus creating near-magical effects. Here, the bowl of fruit is lit strongly from the left, but the light barely creates shadow. Additionally, the soft sheen on the oriental carpet seems to have a source of its own, just as the light which causes the sparkling reflections on the glass objects. Kalf's choice of colours gives his paintings strength and warmth: the combination of the bright blue and white of the dish with the warm tones of the oriental rug and the orange and yellow of the fruit gives the image a very strong presence. Although it would have been practically impossible to light such an arrangement as Kalf did, the illusion is complete and the image does not strike as unnatural." (Fred G. Meijer, The Ashmolean Museum Oxford. Catalogue of the collection of paintings. The collection of Dutch and Flemish Still-life paintings bequeathed by Daisy Linda Ward, Oxford/Zwolle, 2003, pp. 226-7, no. 40).
Offered with a copy of a certificate of authenticity from E. Plietzsch, (dated 26 May 1942). Here Plietzsch mentions that the painting belonged to the so-called Oranische heritage, which included a famous series of still lives by Willem Kalf and later came into the Hohenzollern collection.
We are grateful to Fred Meijer of the RKD, The Hague, for confirming the attribution based upon personal inspection (verbal communication, 6 March 2013).