Lot 634: Andries Both Holland, 1611/12-1641 Tillskriven.

Andries Both Holland, 1611/12-1641 Tillskriven. Signerad ABoth. Allegori över hörseln. Olja på pannå, 43 x 32
Attributed to. Signed ABoth. Oil on panel, 43 x 32 cm.
Provenance:
Anon. Sale, Sotheby's Amsterdam, 5 November 2002, lot 220, as Andries Both (with a pendant: The sense of smell)
Anon. Sale, Sotheby's London, 10 July 2008, lot 205, as Andries Both (with a pendant: The sense of smell).
Andries Dircksz. Both counts today as among the most important Bamboccianti painters of the Dutch Golden Age. This term is derived from Pieter van Laer's nickname Il Bamboccio, meaning hunch-backed after his indeed hunch-backed appearance, by which he was known in the group of so called Bentvueghels in Rome. The members of the Bentvueghels - Jan Miel, Michelangelo Cerquozzi, Codazzi and others - specialized in painting humorous and often satirical scenes from low life - gypsies, boors and others - and combined this preference for jolly painterly motifs with a similarly jolly and exuberant life style among the taverns of Via Margutta and Via Babuino. The heavy life style caused Andries Both his early death at the age of only 30/31, since he drowned after a drinking-bout in Venice on the 23rd of March 1642.
The two lots (633 and 634) probably represent Both's most successful compositions. Originally part of a series of five depicting the five senses, several versions of each of the scenes are known. Of the sense of Smell another version of equal merit is now in the Museum of the University of Uppsala, inv. no. UU 809 and of the sense of Hearing two other versions are recorded: one formerly in the collection of F.C. Butôt, St. Gilgen, sold at Sotheby's Amsterdam, 17 november 1993, lot 44 and the Earl of Bedford, sold Christie's London, 19 January 1951, lot 10. The prototypes were probably drawings, now lost, after which Jan Both also made his series of engravings (Holl. 1-5; see E. De Jongh & G. Luyten, Spiegel van Alledag, 1997, pp. 241, cat.no. 48, withh ills.). As suggested by G. Luyten, op/.cit., p. 245, the series of engravings probably date from before Andries Both departure for Italy. This suggestion would also seem to apply to the series of paintings.