Lot 34: Isaak Soreau (Hanau 1604-1638 Antwerp?)

Bunches of grapes in a wicker basket, blackberries in a wanli kraak porselein bowl, flowers in a glass, with grapes, berries and nuts on a table
oil on panel
19 1/4 x 26 in. (48.8 x 66 cm.)

London, John Mitchell & Sons, The Inspiration of Nature, 27 October 13 November 1976, pp. 50-1, illustrated. The exhibition travelled to Draper's Hall, London, 17 November 1 December 1976.

G. Bott, 'Stillebenmaler des 17 Jahrhunderts; Issak Soreau, Peter Binoit', Kunst in Hessen und am Mittelrhein, Darmstadt, 1962.

Private collection Bordeaux, France by 1840.
Private collection, England 1974-1984.
with Speelman, London, 1987, from whom purchased by the present owner.

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF PHOEBE COWLES

The only known signed work by Isaak Soreau is a still life in the State Museum, Schwerin, inv. no. 967, that is signed and dated 'I. Soreau 1638'. The porcelain bowl in the present work appears to be identical to that in the Schwerin painting, and both paintings similar baskets of grapes. Although Soreau's pictures have in the past also been attributed to his brother, Jan Soreau, who died in 1626, Gerhard Bott in his Stillebenmaler des 17. Jahrhunderts Isaak Soreau-Peter Binoit, Darmstadt, 1962, showed that all works attributed to the two were in fact by Isaak. His compositions are typically based on a horizontal arrangement of one or more bowls or plates of fruit, frequently placed next to a vase of flowers, on an uncovered wooden table. Another very similar composition by Soreau, showing the grapes on a pewter plate but with an identical porcelain bowl was sold, Christie's, London, 16 December 1998, lot 8 (£570,000 = \$960,000: fig. 1).

Isaak Soreau was born in Hanau in 1604, the son and pupil of Daniel Soreau. His father had been born in Antwerp, but moved to the New Town of Hanau, near Frankfurt shortly after 1599, 'with many other people of the Spanish War' according to Joachim von Sandrart. The artistic community in Hanau introduced a large Flemish influence to the art of Frankfurt and the lower Main region. This artistic confluence is visible in the work of Isaak Soreau. His style is closely linked to the Antwerp tradition of Osias Beert and Jacob van Hulsdonck, and he is thought, like Sebastiaen Stoskopf (also a pupil of Daniel Soreau) to have been strongly influenced by his father's work. It is interesting to note that the painting sold at Christie's in 1998, was painted on an Antwerp panel, showing the strong links between these two artistic communities.