Lot 38: JOACHIM ANTHONISZ. WTEWAEL | Mars, Venus and Cupid

oil on copper, oval

13 by 10 cm.; 5 1/8  by 3 7/8  in.

oil on copper, oval

The following condition report is provided by Sarah Walden who is an external specialist and not an employee of Sotheby's: Joachim Antonisz. Wtewael. Mars, Venus and Cupid. This painting is on a little oval copper panel. This has remained perfectly flat. The fine finger printed underlying ground can just be seen occasionally where the paint has grown naturally more transparent over time, as well as in a slightly thinner place on the knee of Mars at the centre of the base edge. The old film of varnish is faintly blanched from slight recent neglect apparently, including a small surface scratch slanting from Venus's stomach across to Cupid's ankle, and a few minute lost flakes. These can be found on Venus's chest, at the extreme outer top edge and at the upper left edge by the helmet of Mars, with minuscule flakes near the cup of wine and on the chest of Mars nearby. However the lovely detail is exquisitely intact otherwise virtually throughout, with extraordinarily rich precision in the helmet for instance and rapier, as well as in the little still life of the bowl of fruit in the lower foreground and the delicacy of Cupid, and Venus's jewelled pendant. This report was not done under laboratory conditions.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

A.W. Lowenthal, Joachim Wtewael and Dutch Mannerism, Doornspijk 1986, p. 99, no. A-19, reproduced plate 30;
A.W. Lowenthal, 'Joachim Wtewael: Mars and Venus surprised by Vulcan', in Getty Museum Studies on Art, Malibu 1995, p. 6, reproduced fig. 6;
A.W. Lowenthal, in Masters of Light. Dutch Painters in Utrecht during the Golden Age, exh. cat., Baltimore, Walters Art Gallery; San Francisco, Fine Arts Museums; and London, National Gallery; New Haven and London 1997, p. 279, reproduced fig. 1.

Possibly Jan Niquet (1539–1608), Amsterdam;
Possibly his widow, Margaretha Nicquet-Bosmans, Amsterdam, before 1612;
Anonymous sale, Madrid, Ansorena, 29–30 Madrid 1981, lot 404;
Private Collection, Spain;
From whom acquired by the present owner.