LOT DETAILS

Materials:

oil on canvas

Measurements:

Edition:

Though Dutch by birth, Herman van Swanevelt spent much of his career working in Rome and Paris. His paintings are often considered reminiscent of those by Claude Lorrain; both artists painted the first 'revolutionary' pictures that mastered the depiction of light, whether this took the form of sunlight on a fresh morning or the glow of dusk. In the present painting, Swanevelt uses touches of pink to illuminate the clouds in the sky, thus imbuing the atmosphere with warmth.

Markings:

A. C. Steland, 'Herman van Swanevelt: Neu aufgetauchte Werke', in Liber Amicorum Marijke de Kinkelder, Collegiale bijdragen over landschappen, marines en architectuur, The Hague 2013, p. 381, reproduced fig. 5.

Condition:

The canvas is lined, and the paint surface is slightly dirty with a mildly discoloured varnish. There is a degree of wear throughout. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals some retouching: scattered along the network of craquelure throughout, and notably to the dark foliage on the left, to a restored damage in the yellow dress of the seated figure lower centre approx. 3 x 3 cm., and to a repaired vertical damage to the right of the head and face of the woman with the red apron approx. 6cm. There is also more concentrated retouching along all four margins. Retouching in the sky comprises scattered fine lines which follow the network of craquelure. There is a more concentrated spot in the centre of the upper cloud approx. 2 x 1 cm. None of these impede the legibility of the image, which appears in overall fair condition and is ready to hang in its current state. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.