Lot 132: ANDRIES DE CONINCK DIED 1659 ANTWERP AN ELABORATE STILL LIFE WITH A LOBSTER, SWEETMEAT PIE, OYSTERS, FRUIT, AND A BLUE AND WHITE WANLI BOWL, A PARTLY FILLED TALL, GLASS FLAGON OF WINE, A SILVER POKAL AND SILVER JUG, ALL ARRANGED ON A DRAPED TABLE, A

ANDRIES DE CONINCK DIED 1659 ANTWERP AN ELABORATE STILL LIFE WITH A LOBSTER, SWEETMEAT PIE, OYSTERS, FRUIT, AND A BLUE AND WHITE WANLI BOWL, A PARTLY FILLED TALL, GLASS FLAGON OF WINE, A SILVER POKAL AND SILVER JUG, ALL ARRANGED ON A DRAPED TABLE, A VIEW OF THE COUNTRYSIDE THROUGH A WINDOW BEHIND 52 by 67 in.; 132.3 by 170.3 cm. signed centre left A De. Coninck. fe oil on canvas Provenance: Possibly Private Collection, Norwich, England (an old Norwich framer's label on the reverse); Anton W.M. Mensing, Amsterdam, by 1936, and held in trust by his estate until sold in his deceased sale, Amsterdam, Frederick Muller & Cie., November 15, 1938, lot 22, where purchased by J. Paul Getty; J. Paul Getty Collection, Malibu, California; Sutton Place, Surrey, England, and donated by his estate to the J. Paul Getty Museum, California in 1978, no. 78.PA.218. Literature & References: D. Jaffe, Summary Catalogue of European Paintings in the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 1997, p. 27, reproduced. Catalogue Note: This is one of only four known signed works by the artist, all of which are of a broadly similar composition with an elaborate still life laid out before an open window at the left; of the three others only one, that was formerly with Leger Galleries, London between 1953 58, was signed with the surname spelt Coninck; the other two are signed Koninck and sold New York, Sotheby's, January 11, 1990, lot 93 and sold, London, Philips, December 5, 1995, lot 60. Andries de Coninck is mentioned in the Antwerp guild records of 1643-44 where he is listed as an apprentice as both schilder (painter) and handelaer ( dealer) and he became a master of the guild in 1645/46. It may well be that he eventually discarded painting and concentrated solely on dealing, being listed in the 1658/59 guild records solely as koopman ( dealer). His wife, Christina Benedetti, was probably a sister of Andries Benedetti (active 1636-1650) whose large still lifes are sometimes difficult to distinguish from those by de Coninck. Their main inspiration appears to have been the large luxury still lifes that Jan Davidsz. de Heem painted during the early 1640s.