Melchior d'Hondecoeter Sold at Auction Prices

Flemish school of the early twentieth century. Follower of MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (Utrecht, 1636-Amsterdam, 1695). "Landscape with birds". Oil on canvas. It presents perforations.

Flemish school of the early twentieth century. Follower of MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (Utrecht, 1636-Amsterdam, 1695). "Landscape with birds". Oil on canvas. It presents perforations. Measurements: 91 x 125 cm; 95 x 129 x 4 cm (frame). Dreamlike landscape populated with birds of different species (a hen, a peacock, geese...), following models of the Dutch painter of animalistic genre Melchior d'Hondecoeter. The author of the painting in question takes up the dynamic still life model of the Flemish Baroque period. The painter focuses on the expressiveness of the animals, as well as on the bucolic description of the lake landscape with hints of classical ruins.

Hens in a landscape | Poules dans un paysage

Melchior d'Hondecoeter 1636 - 1695 Hens in a landscape Oil on canvas Signed upper left M D. Hondecoe[ter] 92 x 80 cm ; 36¼ by 31½ in. --------------------------------------- Melchior d'Hondecoeter 1636 - 1695 Poules dans un paysage Huile sur toile Signé en haut à gauche M D. Hondecoe[ter] 92 x 80 cm ; 36¼ by 31½ in.

Melchior d’Hondecoeter

(Utrecht 1636–1695 Amsterdam) A hoopoe, parakeet and swallow, together with a quiver, arrows, a crossbow and a net, all on a marble ledge, oil on canvas, 116 x 124 cm, framed We are grateful to Fred G. Meijer for confirming the attribution of the present painting. Nicknamed the ‘Raphael of birds’, Melchior d’Hondecoeter is one of the best-known and revered animal painters of the seventeenth century. The artist came from a family of painters and began his training with his father, before apprenticing with his uncle, the painter Jan Baptist Weenix (1621–1659), with whom he developed his technique and his palette. Very early on, the depiction of birds became his preferred subject matter. His works often are underpinned by a moralising intent, using fables or praising fowl over wild birds because they were the first animals put to the service of humankind. This inclination was highly appreciated by his Dutch contemporaries, coinciding as it did with the extolling of work as a bedrock component of their religion. The present painting clearly reflects the prestige of the hunt and its popularity among d’Hondecoeter’s aristocratic patrons, in this case the hunt with the arrow. Quiver, bow, arrow and net are beautifully rendered and appear to extend through the painted surface towards the viewer in a captivating ‘trompe-l’œil’ effect. Although d’Hondecoeter produced most of his still lifes of game fairly early in his career, the present painting seems more comparable to a pair of hunting still lifes dated to around 1678, now in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. nos. SK-A-170 and SK-A-171), therefore a relatively late date and mature stage of creation, seems more likely. Fred G. Meijer suggests that the present painting belongs to a group together with at least two other paintings, sold recently in Paris (see sale, Sotheby’s, Paris, 15 June 2021, lot 32, Still life with a heron and a blue curtain, 116.5 x 125.2 cm; and Still life with a deer and a red curtain, 116.8 x 125.3 cm). Another comparable painting featuring the same marble ledge, with the same width of the painted canvas, and a similar handling of the decorative placement of the birds in the sky, may too have been intended as part of the group. This work is signed and dated 1685 and was mentioned in 1958 in the collection of Lord Crawford. It is therefore plausible to date the present painting to around 1685 as well. With this ambitious still life, the artist has deployed his talent for representing the animal kingdom with finesse. But it is above all in the originality of the composition that we see the artist’s ability to inject new life into the genre, allowing the painting to be dated to the peak of his career. As is the case with most major works by the artist, individual birds can be found in other compositions, as well. The hoopoe sitting on the basket in the present painting appears in a painting in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. no. SK-A-695,). Another comparable work, The Menagerie, was destined for Het Loo, the palace of William III. It hung above the door of the king’s private apartment and is today conserved in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. no. SK-A-173). Very evident in the present rediscovered painting is the carefully observed and staged interaction between the birds in the composition, who are not merely placed following a decorative scheme, but react with each other, or in this case, seem to react to the hunting gear in disapproval. This ability to observe and depict realistic behaviour of his favourite subjects was praised unanimously by contemporaries.

Melchior d'Hondecoeter 1636 Utrecht-1695 Amsterdam, bottega di Un gallo, galline, un corvo e una poiana in un paesaggio

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DE HONDECOETER Melchior (1636 - 1695) Huile sur toile "Paysage aux volatile

DE HONDECOETER Melchior (1636 - 1695) Huile sur toile "Paysage aux volatiles". Atelier de Melchior d'Hondecoeter. Ecole hollandaise. Epoque: XVIIème. Dim.:+/-91x152cm.

D'HONDECOETER, Melchior

D'HONDECOETER, Melchior (1636 Utrecht - 1695 Amsterdam), zugeschrieben, Mehrere Wasservögel an einem Teich, von oben ein Sperber herabschießend, Öl auf Leinwand, auf alten Keilrahmen aufgezogen, Craquelée und Oberflächenverschmutzung. Wohl deutsch um 1700, 44, 5x36cm

D'HONDECOETER "Enten"

D'HONDECOETER Melchior (1636 Utrecht - 1695 Amsterdam) ''Enten'', mehrere Enten sitzend und flatternd, mit herabstürzendem Sperber, Öl auf Leinwand, aufgezogen auf altem Keilrahmen, Craquelée, wohl deutsch 17./18. Jahrhundert, 44,5x36cm *Vegleichbar mit seinen anderen Werken wie ''Hühnerhof aus dem Jahr 1686

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (1636-1695) Fine Still Life "Days Bag

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (1636-1695) Fine Still Life "Days Bag with Hung Hare, numerous Game Birds and a Gun," O.O.C., signed lower left, 130cms x 112cms (51" x 44"). (1)

Melchior d'HONDECOETER Utrecht, 1636 - Amsterdam, 1695 Oiseaux et instruments de chasse dans un paysage Huile sur toile

Melchior d'HONDECOETER Utrecht, 1636 - Amsterdam, 1695 Oiseaux et instruments de chasse dans un paysage Huile sur toile Birds and Hunting Accessories in a landscape, oil on canvas, by M. d'Hondecoeter h: 63,50 w: 51 cm Provenance : Collection Mr. J. H. Hehewerth, Delft, en 1943 ; Vente anonyme ; Lokeren, de Vuyst, 6 octobre 2007, n°327 (comme entourage de W. van Aelst) ; Vente anonyme ; Londres, Sotheby's, 6 décembre 2007, n°219 ; Acquis après cette vente par l'actuel propriétaire Commentaire : Melchior d'Hondecoeter nait à Utrecht en 1636, en plein essor du genre de la nature morte. Il se formera auprès de son père et de son oncle à la peinture animalière, qui deviendra sa spécialité. Surnommé le " Raphaël des oiseaux ", son sujet de prédilection se retrouve dans notre tableau, où l'artiste confirme sa grande maîtrise de la représentation des volatiles, portant toute son attention au rendu de leurs plumages dont le spectateur pourrait presque ressentir la douceur. Estimation 30 000 - 40 000 €

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (1636-1695)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (1636-1695), A hunting still life with a pigeon, partridge, finches and a kingfisher on a stone ledge, oil on canvas, 69x59 cm, This graceful still life is exemplifying for Melchior d’Hondecoeter’s early work. The artist specialized in painting hunting still lifes, birds, poultry, and elegant landscapes with exotic birds. Following up on his Flemish predecessors, Frans Snijders (1579-1657) and Jan Brueghel II (1601-1678), d’Hondecoeter has elevated the theme of bird concerts and hunting still lifes in the Netherlands together with his cousin Jan Weenix (1641-1719). This well-balanced composition shows the qualities of d’Hondecoeter as a still life painter. The sceneis set in subtle brownish tones with, in the centre, the white wing of a pigeon, drawing our eyes into the composition. The pigeon and partridge, delicately placed on the stone ledge, dominate the painting. Yet, some smaller birds such as finches and a kingfisher are cautiously placed around them, completing the scene harmoniously. Behind the birds, some hunting equipment is visible with a large bird’s cage to the left. The very subtle muted palette and unity of the composition make this painting a typical work by one of Holland's master painters of hunting still lifes.

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) A sarus crane, a flamingo, a wild bronze turkey cock, two Paduan fowl, a silver...

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) A sarus crane, a flamingo, a wild bronze turkey cock, two Paduan fowl, a silver... oil on canvas 61 7⁄8 x 69 7⁄8 in. (157.2 x 177.5 cm.)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) - A hunting still life with a partridge, a pheasant and finches, together with a...

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) A hunting still life with a partridge, a pheasant and finches, together with a... oil on canvas 57.8 x 49.5 cm.

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) AND ANOTHER HAND Portr

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) AND ANOTHER HAND Portrait of a lady in as the goddess Diana and her attendant, with the spoils... oil on canvas 68 ¼ x 74 5/8 in. (173.2 x 215 cm.)

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (hardly visible signed in the lower-left corner), a dog barking at chickens, 17thC, oil on canvas, 44 x 82 cm

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (hardly visible signed in the lower-left corner), a dog barking at chickens, 17thC, oil on canvas, 44 x 82 cm

Landschaft mit Federvieh und Vögeln

Öl / Lwd. 100 x 130 cm Mittig bez. Rest., doubliert, Craquelé. Rahmen

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER att. to

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER, att. to (Utrecht 1636 - Amsterdam 1695) LANDSCAPE WITH COCKFIGHTING Oil on canvas, cm. 50 x 78 Golden frame PROVENANCE Roman family CONDITIONS OF THE PAINTING Nineteenth century re-lining. Three small restoration areas on the right side The painting is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity by a technical expert of the Court of Brescia MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER, att. a (Utrecht 1636 - Amsterdam 1695) PAESAGGIO CON LOTTA DI GALLI Olio su tela, cm. 50 x 78 Cornice dorata PROVENIENZA Famiglia romana CONDIZIONI DEL DIPINTO Rintelo ottocentesco. Tre piccole zone di restauro sulla parte destra Il dipinto è accompagnato da certificato di autenticità di perito tecnico del Tribunale di Brescia

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) - Étude de paon

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) Étude de paon plume et encre noire, lavis brun, filigrane deux lions 20,5 x 31,6 cm

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht, 1636 - Amsterdam, 1695)

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht, 1636 - Amsterdam, 1695) Oil on canvas. 117 x 180 cm.

FOLLOWER OF MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER, (DUTCH 1636-1695), PEACOCK, ROOSTER, HENS, DOVE AND BIRD OF PREY IN A FARMYARD

FOLLOWER OF MELCHIOR D''HONDECOETER (dutch 1636-1695) PEACOCK, ROOSTER, HENS, DOVE AND BIRD OF PREY IN A FARMYARD Oil on canvas, unframed 20 1/2 x 25 1/4 in. (52.1 x 64.1cm) provenance: Private Collection, Tennessee.

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER | A peacock and pea hen with a crane, chickens and other birds in a landscape

oil on canvas

MELCHIOR D’HONDECOETER - (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM)

MELCHIOR D’HONDECOETER (UTRECHT 1636-1695 AMSTERDAM) An eagle, swallow, snipe and fnch in fight signed ‘M. d. hondecoeter.’ (lower left) oil on canvas 43 3/4 x 56 3/4 in. (111.2 x 144.3 cm.)

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (1636-1695)A Graphic of Fowl and Goat with Sleeping Spaniel and SheepOil on canvas, 44 x 62cm

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER (1636-1695)A Graphic of Fowl and Goat with Sleeping Spaniel and SheepOil on canvas, 44 x 62cm

Circle of Melchior D'Hondecoeter (Dutch, circa 1636-1695); birds in a setting; oil on canvas

Circle of Melchior D'Hondecoeter (Dutch, circa 1636-1695); birds in a setting; oil on canvas A white peacock, pheasant, lapwing, magpie, brown spider monkey, cockerel, bantams and a guinea fowl in an ornamental parkland landscape. An old copy, Netherlands, ca. 18th Century. No damage or restoration visible under blacklight. H 35 3/4" x W 46 1/2" image

Circle of Melchior D'Hondecoeter (Dutch, circa 1636-1695); birds in a setting; oil on canvas

Circle of Melchior D'Hondecoeter (Dutch, circa 1636-1695); birds in a setting; oil on canvas A white peacock, pheasant, lapwing, magpie, brown spider monkey, cockerel, bantams and a guinea fowl in an ornamental parkland landscape. An old copy, Netherlands, ca. 18th Century. H 35 3/4" x W 46 1/2" image

MELCHIOR d' HONDECOETER "ROOSTERS" PAINTING

IN THE SCHOOL OF MELCHIOR d' HONDECOETER (1636 - 1695) OIL ON CANVAS PAINTING OF "ROOSTERS". PROVENANCE: FROM THE ESTATE OF THE LATE KENNETH FRANZHEIM. Height: 50 in. by Width: 70 in. by Depth: 1

Manner of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch, circa 1636-1695) A white peacock, pheasant, lapwing, magpie, brown spider monkey, cockerel,...

Manner of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch, circa 1636-1695) A white peacock, pheasant, lapwing, magpie, brown spider monkey, cockerel, bantams and a guinea fowl in an ornamental parkland landscape oil on canvas h:118 w: 152 cm Provenance: From a Northamptonshire country house.

Manner of Melchior d'Hondecoeter, Dutch 1636-1695-

Manner of Melchior d'Hondecoeter, Dutch 1636-1695- Ducks and an owl in a forest clearing; oil on canvas, 79.5x95cm., (unframed)

MELCHIOR  D'HONDECOETER

PROPERTY  OF  A  PRIVATE  COLLECTOR UTRECHT  1636  -  1695  AMSTERDAM A  CLASSICAL  GARDEN  LANDSCAPE  WITH  A  MALLARD,  A  GOLDEN  EAGLE  AND  OTHER  WILD  FOWL  IN  FLIGHT signed  lower  right:  M.D.  Hondecoeter oil  on  canvas 72  1/2    by  49  1/2    in.;  184.2  by  125.7  cm.

Dubois Barnyard Chickens

Oil on board, depicting a rooster and five hens feeding, 6 1/4 x 8 3/4 inches; Together with an oil on board after Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch 1636 - 1695) , depicting a rooster crowing, labeled on verso as a copy of a Handekoeter. 10 x 8 1/4 inches.

Circle of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Circle of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) A cockerel and a guinea pig oil on canvas, circular 18 3/8 x 18½ in. (46.7 x 47 cm.)

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER

MELCHIOR D'HONDECOETER UTRECHT 1636 - 1695 AMSTERDAM A PEACOCK, PIGEON, DUCKS AND OTHER BIRDS IN A GARDEN SETTING signed lower right: M.D. / HO..COET... oil on canvas 39 1/2 by 36 1/2 in.; 100.3 by 92.7 cm.

School of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch,

School of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch, 1636-1695), "A Family of Fowl with a Turkey in a Farmyard" and "Two Cocks Fighting Amid Chickens and Peacocks in the Garden of a Domed Villa", c. 1700, oil on wood panel, both unsigned, each with 19th c. framer labels of "Alexander Cooper/ 32 Constitution St./ Leith [Scotland]" en verso of frames, each 12 in. x 15 in., the first in a foliate giltwood frame, the second in a 19th c. cove-molded giltwood frame. PLEASE NOTE: Provenance: With the collector, Wayne Francis Palmer (1895-1983), Springlake Plantation, Mobile, AL; thence by descent in the Palmer Family. Note: These very beautiful paintings have a jewel-like precision, both of pictorial form and of preservation; they show only widely scattered, small patches of inpaint, as for example three tiny areas on the turkey and a random few in the foliage. They perfectly exemplify a compositional pattern which Hondecoeter used from about 1670 through the remaining quarter-century of his life (and which proved still widely appealing for years after his death): "birds ... seen close up in the centre of the [design], others entering from left or right, their bodies sometimes cropped by the frame, the middle ground blocked by a ... tree or architectural ruins across one half of the [composition], the remaining side opening to a distant vista [of] an Italianate mansion ... or a farmhouse" (Richard C. Mühlberger, The Dictionary of Art, 34 vols., Jane Turner, ed., London 1996, 14:706). Such was the popularity of this 'Raphael of bird painters' that his compositional formulas were very widely repeated for well over a century after his death, though very rarely with the skill and assurance seen in this remarkable pair of paintings (and evidently not by either of the identified followers specifically named by Mühlberger, that is Adriaen van Oolen or Aert Schouman). As one eminent authority on Dutch art has observed, "The broad highlighting of the feathers appears to be unique to the artist of the Palmer paintings." A highly diagnostic change from Hondecoeter's personal technique is the execution of these splendid pictures on wood panels: the originator of the classic pattern painted exclusively on canvas, and at somewhat larger size; this artist's choice of small panels as his pictorial supports insures an even more lustrous finish, and a concentration of the images into the perfect size for 'cabinet pictures.'

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) Ducks, hens and other fowl in a yard signed 'M. D. Hondecoeter' (center left, on the fence) oil on canvas 39½ x 31 in. (100.3 x 78.2 cm.)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) A grey and white crested goose, a shoveler, a Muscovy duck, goslings, ducklings and other fowl in a park, elegant buildings beyond signed 'M D Hondecoeter' (centre left) oil on canvas 42 7/8 x 54 1/8 in. (108.8 x 137.6 cm.)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) A rooster, hens, chicks and a pigeon near a wood paling in a landscape signed 'M.d.hondecoeter.' (centre right) oil on canvas 81.2 x 103.7 cm.

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch, 1636-1695) A Mallard, Two Cockerels, and Ducklings in a Lands...

Attributed to Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Dutch, 1636-1695) A Mallard, Two Cockerels, and Ducklings in a Landscape Signed or inscribed "M d hondecoeter" l.c. Oil on canvas, 30 x 28 1/4 in. (76.2 x 71.8 cm), framed. Condition: Lined, retouch, patch reinforcements, varnish inconsistencies, craquelure.

Studio of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Studio of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) 'Soo gebeck Soo gesongen': A peacock, lark, crow, stilt, peahen, heron, owl, parakeet, cardinal, woodpecker, swallow, stint and other birds on a garden wall with inscription 'Soo gebeck Soo gesongen' (lower center) oil on canvas 61 x 52½ in. (154.9 x 133.5 cm.)

Circle of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Circle of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) Ducks and ducklings in a river landscape with peahens perched on a tomb oil on canvas 44 x 39¼ in. (11.8 x 99.7 cm.)

Circle of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

Circle of Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam) Peacocks, a rooster, pigeons and other birds near a ruinous wall in a rocky landscape oil on canvas 131.8 x 158.2 cm.

Manner of Melchior d'Hondecoeter Floral Still

Manner of Melchior d'Hondecoeter, (Dutch, 1636-1695) Floral Still Life with Exotic Birds in a Garden, Oil on canvas. Note condition. h:43 w:60 in.

Melchior d'Hondecoeter , Utrecht 1636 - 1695 Amsterdam A Shoveler, a Grey and White Crested Goose, an Egyptian Goose, a Muscovy Duck and Other Waterfowl in a Park oil on canvas

signed center MD Hondecoeter oil on canvas

Melchior d'Hondecoeter Utrecht 1636 - 1695 Amsterdam , Still life with dead game and hunting equipment on a stone slab oil on canvas

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

A pelican, a crowned crane, a cassowary, a flamingo, a leadbetter's cockatoo, a shelduck, a grebe, a red-breasted goose, a wigeon, a muscovy duck, a chough, an egyptian goose, a guinea fowl and a black curaçao at a pool in a park signed 'M d Hondeco.ter' oil on canvas 60 x 74 in. (152.4 x 188 cm.)

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

A forest floor still life with a blue tit, a chaffinch, a kingfisher, a large tortoiseshell butterfly, a painted lady and a red admiral. oil on canvas 263/4 x 23 3/8 in. (68 x 59.4 cm.) PROVENANCE Col. John Bolton (d. 1837), Storrs Hall, Windermere, by whose widow (d. 1848) bequeathed with the Hall to her late husband's cousin The Reverend Thomas Staniforth (d. 1890), by whom bequeathed to his kinswoman Annabella, Lady Boughey (d. 1914), n‚e Littledale, wife of Sir Thomas Fletcher Boughey, 4th Bt. (1836-1906), Sundorne Castle, Shropshire, by whom bequeathed with Sundorne to her cousin Lt. Col. William Alfred Littledale Fletcher, D.S.O. (1869-1919), Sundorne Castle, Shropshire; Christie's, London, 15 May 1914, lot 125, as 'M. d'Hondecoeter' (31 gns. to Gooden & Fox, on behalf of Royds). Col. Sir Clement Molyneux Royds, C.B., K.J.St.J. (1842-1916), cousin of the vendor, above, and thence by family descent. NOTES This is a very rare example of a forest floor still life by Hondecoeter, and the only known example to remain in private ownership. Only two others are recorded: that in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. no. 169) and that dated 1668 in the National Gallery, London (inv. no. 1222). The latter work, of which only the first 'M' of the signature is still legible, was formerly given to Otto Marseus van Schrieck; the attribution to Hondecoeter was first suggested by Bredius and the painting was so catalogued from 1890-1915. In the 1915 and subsequent catalogues, however, the fragmentary signature was wrongly given as 'Mi....' and the picture ascribed to Abraham Mignon. The correct attribution was only re-affirmed by comparison with the Rijksmuseum picture, which is partially signed 'M d hondec.' The National Gallery painting is, with two others also dated 1668 in the collections of the Cassel and Schwerin Museums (inv. nos. 380 and 505 respectively), one of the earliest known dated works by Hondecoeter (two earlier are known: one, possibly falsely dated 1661 and another from 1663); the Rijksmuseum painting and the present work can be dated to the same period, c. 1668. As can be inferred from the original attribution of the London picture, all three forest floor still lifes clearly show a debt owed to Van Schrieck, who had a strong influence on many of his contemporaries (see, for example, the signed painting by Abraham Begeyn in the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum, Brunswick, inv. no. 382). We are very grateful to Mr. Fred Meijer of the RKD for confirming the attribution having inspected the picture in the original.

Melchior d'Hondecoeter (Utrecht 1636-1695 Amsterdam)

A Concert of Birds signed 'M.Hondecoeter' (on the music sheet) oil on canvas 441/2 x 49 in. (113 x 124 cm.) NOTES We are grateful to Mr. Fred Meijer of the RKD for confirming the attribution after inspection of the original. He believes the signature to be authentic but does not rule out the possibility of some studio assistance. The composition relates closely to two known autograph variants, both of which are similarly signed on the manuscript: the first one, a slightly larger picture sold, Sotheby's, New York, 1 June 1990, lot 113A ($165,000), differs in the inclusion of a number of birds, most prominently a dove flying in from the right. The other picture, which is closer to the present version, was last recorded in a collection in Leipzig, 1956 (RKD files). The most obvious difference in this case is the depiction of a magpie instead of the cockerell in the right foreground.