Lot 40: l - Gerrit Willemsz. Heda Haarlem circa 1620 - before 1702, and Pieter de Ring Leiden circa 1615 - 1660 , Still life with a nautilus cup, a meat pie, a bunch of grapes, some pewter plates and a partly-peeled lemon, all arranged on a partly draped

signed and dated on the knife: Gerret. HEDA.1646 oil on oak panel

measurements note 60.5 by 80.5 cm.; 23 3/4 by 31 3/4 in.

N.R.A. Vroom, De Schilders van het Monochrome Banketje, Amsterdam 1945, no. 161;
N.R.A. Vroom, A Modest Message, Scheidam 1980, vol. II, p. 63, no. 310.

Menke collection;
Anonymous sale, Brussels, Le Roy, 1 June 1904, lot 31;
Baron Buschman, Vienna;
Private collection, USA;
With Richard Green, London, from whom acquired by the present owner.

PROPERTY FROM THE LONDON RESIDENCE OF DIMITRI MAVROMMATIS
Gerrit Willemsz. was both the son and pupil of Willem Claesz. Heda who, along with Pieter Claesz., was the foremost painter of the so-called monochrome breakfast-piece that was popularised during the 17th century, notably in Haarlem. Gerrit Willemsz. was an extremely talented pupil, so much so that his paintings have frequently been confused with those of his father.

This is an early work by the artist, painted when he was just twenty-six. As pointed out by Fred G. Meijer, to whom we are grateful, the fruit, tablecloth and dark background were painted by Pieter de Ring, some ten years after Heda completed the work in 1646, reflecting how quickly the monochrome still lifes of the 1630s and 1640s went out of fashion. The exquisite nautilus cup probably belonged to his father's studio as it appears in numerous other works by Gerrit Willemsz. and several by Willem Claesz.; it was common for artists to borrow such expensive objects from the local silversmith but the fact that the nautilus cup is confined to the work of both Hedas, and does not appear in the work of other Haarlem painters, would suggest that it was actually owned by Willem.