Nature morte aux fruits et papillons, 1652
Jan Davidsz. de Heem
Pays-Bas, 1606
- 1684
huile sur chêne
32,8 x 48,8 cm
Acheté en 1982
Musée des beaux-arts du Canada (nº 28140)
L'artiste nous invite à prendre le temps d'examiner l'ordinaire. Nous prenons conscience du temps qui passe, de l'activité qui a précédé et qui suivra : les fruits mûrs sont cueillis et amoncelés pour être consommés. Une cerise se gâte; un citron, coupé et mis de côté, se décolore. L'inévitable pourriture nous lance un avertissement, nous rappelle notre propre mort - pourtant l'oeuvre célèbre aussi l'abondance de la nature et le talent humain. Elle est même un commentaire sur l'art puisque Davidsz. y contraste son remarquable artifice aux fleurs et fruits stylisés peints sur le précieux bol chinois.
Marks and Labels 
– Signed, upper right: J D… heem/ fecit
– On verso: Incised VH in ligature, presumably by the panel-maker
Joseph van Haecken
– Stencilled black paint "CP462":
– In white chalk: "CP462"(1) , "colour good" , "lot 40" "25-4-82"
Provenance
– 1829
M.G. Baronesse van Brakell, Amsterdam (?) [1]
– 1982/04/23
Dr. James Simon (1851–1932) Berlin, Germany; his family, by inheritance [2]
1982/04/23
In auction of "Important Old Master Pictures." Christie's, London, April 23, 1982, lot 40 [3]
1982/04/23 – 1982/12/23
Rosenberg & Stiebel Inc., New York, United States, purchased from Christie’s, >London [4]
1982/12/23 –
National Gallery of Canada, purchased from Rosenberg & Stiebel [5]
Notes
[1] A painting described as: "Op eene Tafel staat een porseleinen kom met druiven, perziken, pruimen, kerssen, bessen enz., voorts eenig bijwerk; meesterlijk en delicaat gepenceeld, door J. D. e Heem, P., h.3 p. 4 d, br. 4 p. 9 d.’ (`On a table stands a porcelain bowl containing grapes, peaches, plums, cherries, berries etc., plus some additional items; masterly and delicately painted, by J.D. de Heem’ measurements most likely translate to 34 x 49 cm) was sold from the collection of the Baronesse van Brakell at De Vries, Amsterdam, on December 14, 1829, as lot 22 (note: "sold 10.10 guilders to Engelberts") [information kindly provided by Fred G. Meijer, Curator, Dept. of Old Netherlandish Painting, Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, in an email dated Sept.4, 2008, NGC curatorial file].
[2] Industrialist James Simon was a Berlin philanthropist and patron of the arts. He gave a large number of old master paintings to the Kaiser Friedrich Museumand is best known for donating the iconic bust of Queen Nefertiti to the city’s Egyptian Museum. See note [3].
[3] The still-life was offered for sale by Christie’s London in 1982 and sold to New York art dealers Rosenberg & Stiebel. The sales catalogue provides the following provenance information: "Simon collection, Berlin, thence by descent". In his justification for acquisition, NGC research curator Myron Laskin Jr. indentifies the former owner as German-Jewish collector James Simon. [Accession records, NGC curatorial file]. See note [2].
[4] The National Gallery of Canada purchased the painting from Rosenberg & Stiebel on December 23, 1982 [NGC curatorial file].
Recherche en cours
Enlarge image
Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter
YouTube
