About this lot
Description
Attributed to Aert van der Neer (Dutch, 1603/4-1677) A Landscape at moonlight with a village stream with figures and a church in the distance signed or inscribed in the lower centre in one monogram "AVDN" oil on panel 42 x 63cm (16 x 25in)
Provenance: Etienne Le Roy/Brussels; Charles Sedelmeyer/Paris; Martin Rikoff, sale, Paris, 4 December 1907, No. 13 (Frs. 7,100) Anon. Sale, Stockholm (Bukowski) 5 November 1958, lot 247; Anon. Sale, London (Sotheby's) 11 March 1964, lot 77 (£1200) and thereafter Acquired by the present owner. Their Sale, London (Christie's) 9 July 1982, lot 56, when bought back. Literature: C. Hofstede de Groot, A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch Painters of the Seventeenth Century, vol. VII, 1923, pp. 421, no. 413 (as autograph); W. Schulz, Aert van der Neer, 2002, p. 410, cat. no. 1135, as "whereabouts unknown" and as "probably copy". Other Notes: When first published by Cornelis Hofstede de Groot in 1923, he indicated (as was his way) by printing the painting title in bold capital letters, that he had both seen the painting and considered it by the artist. In 1964 when the painting was auctioned by Sotheby's, it was catalogued by Neil MacLaren (1909-1988) the former Keeper and Curator of Dutch 17th Century painting at the National Gallery as autograph. In his own copy of Hofstede de Groot's 1923 catalogue he corrected and annotated the entry, including writing "overcleaned" but did not question the attribution. The late Wolfgang Schulz however in 2002, in stating its whereabouts was unknown, implies he had not seen it (unless he saw it earlier at the 1982 Christie's sale) and as he does not, in saying it is probably a copy, state after which original it is so, he possibly was implying it is an imitation.
Sedelmeyer seal to the reverse. John Somerville, who worked at Sotheby's with the late Neil MacLaren (former keeper of the National Gallery) whose library he inherited, has MacLaren's annotated Hofstede de Groot from which it is clear from when he catalogued the painting in 1964 when he had joined Sotheby's, in 1961, that he did not question the attribution though, he did make the observation that the painting has been "overcleaned". Oil on wooden panel which appears to be formed from a single board and is in excellent condition with no splits. The paint layers are thinly applied and stable. Under ultraviolet light there appears to be some reinforcement of the composition and monogram. The varnish is slightly uneven suggesting it may have been partially cleaned. The overall appearance of the painting is good. The frame is in a good condition.
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