Lot Essay
A hitherto unrecorded version of the well-known picture in the collection of the University of Uppsala (see, for instance: M. J. Friedländer, Early Netherlandish Painting, XIII, ed. H. Pauwels and G. Lemmens, Leyden and Brussels, 1975, p.101, no.339, and pl.167;
S. A. Sullivan, The Dutch Gamepiece, Totowa, Montclair and Woodbridge, 1984, p.7 and fig.5; and E. M. Kavaler, Pieter Aertsen's Meat Stall. Divers aspects of the market piece, in Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 40, 1989, pp.67-92; it was included in the exhibitions Art before the Iconoclasm, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 13 Sept.-23 Nov. 1986, I, pp.119-20 and p.118, fig.193, colour, and II, pp.343-4, no.225, illustrated; and Joachim Beuckelaer, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent, 12 Dec. 1986-8 March 1987, pp.114-15, no.1, illustrated in colour), which is described by Sullivan as 'Aertsen's most innovative painting' and, as Kavaler points out 'is one of the earliest and most remarkable examples of market painting' and 'is often considered a landmark in the development of European art'.
The present painting would seem to compare favourably in quality with the Uppsala picture and it displays extensive underdrawing characteristic of Aertsen's work and not apparent in the Uppsala painting.
A third version was in the Paul Brandt Sale, Amsterdam, 22 March 1973, lot 20; subsequently in the Rodriguez Banza Collection, Madrid, with Silvano Lodi, 1974, and with Noortman and Brod, this is dated 1568 and has been described as a copy (see the catalogues of the exhibitions Art before the Iconoclasm and Joachim Beuckelaer cited above)
S. A. Sullivan, The Dutch Gamepiece, Totowa, Montclair and Woodbridge, 1984, p.7 and fig.5; and E. M. Kavaler, Pieter Aertsen's Meat Stall. Divers aspects of the market piece, in Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, 40, 1989, pp.67-92; it was included in the exhibitions Art before the Iconoclasm, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, 13 Sept.-23 Nov. 1986, I, pp.119-20 and p.118, fig.193, colour, and II, pp.343-4, no.225, illustrated; and Joachim Beuckelaer, Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent, 12 Dec. 1986-8 March 1987, pp.114-15, no.1, illustrated in colour), which is described by Sullivan as 'Aertsen's most innovative painting' and, as Kavaler points out 'is one of the earliest and most remarkable examples of market painting' and 'is often considered a landmark in the development of European art'.
The present painting would seem to compare favourably in quality with the Uppsala picture and it displays extensive underdrawing characteristic of Aertsen's work and not apparent in the Uppsala painting.
A third version was in the Paul Brandt Sale, Amsterdam, 22 March 1973, lot 20; subsequently in the Rodriguez Banza Collection, Madrid, with Silvano Lodi, 1974, and with Noortman and Brod, this is dated 1568 and has been described as a copy (see the catalogues of the exhibitions Art before the Iconoclasm and Joachim Beuckelaer cited above)