Balthasar van der Ast (1594-1657)

VARIOUS PROPERTIES

Details

Balthasar van der Ast (1594-1657)

Bearded Irises, a pink and white Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley in a glass Pitcher with a Parrot Tulip and a Queen of Spain Fritillary in a Niche
signed and dated '.B. van der . Ast . fe . 1621.' (lower centre)
oil on panel
12 1/8 x 7¾in. (30.8 x 19.7cm.)

Provenance

J.H.J. Mellaart, London, 1925.
with The Brod Gallery, London (Old Master Paintings, 1976-7, no. 5).

Literature

L.J. Bol, The Bosschaert Dynasty, Leigh-on-Sea, 1960, p. 69, no. 1.
S. Segal, Balthasar van der Ast, in the catalogue of the exhibition, Masters of Middelburg, Kunsthandel K. & V. Waterman, Amsterdam, March 1984, pp. 50 and 61, note 8.

Exhibited

Amsterdam, Kunsthandel D.A. Hoogendijk, Zeldzame Meesters uit de Zeventiende Eeuw, 1932, no. 3.
Amsterdam, Kunsthandel P. de Boer, De Helsche en de Fluweelen Brueghel, 10 Feb.- 26 March 1934, no. 236.

Lot Essay

Sam Segal, loc. cit., describes the present picture as the earliest dated flower piece by the artist that he had seen. He notes that 'it clearly shows Bosschaert's tendencies such as the niche with some damages and the somewhat nervous vaults and bends of the petals and the drooping leaves.'

More from Old Master Pictures

View All