Lot 42: David Cornelisz. de Heem (Antwerp 1663-1701/14 The Hague)

David Cornelisz. de Heem (Antwerp 1663-1701/14 The Hague)
A tulip, pink roses, a crown imperial lily and other flowers in a glass vase, all on a stone ledge, surrounded by butterflies
signed 'C. De Heem' (lower left)
oil on canvas
51.7 x 45 cm.

with Galery Boehler & Steinmeyer, Luzern, 1936.
Anonymous sale; Fischer, Luzern, 24 November 1995, lot 2012, as 'Cornelis de Heem' (Sfr.140,000).
with Jack Kilgore, New York, 2000, as 'Cornelis de Heem'.

After inspection of the original, Fred G. Meijer is convinced this picture was painted by David de Heem (verbal communication, 23 August 2010). As he points out, the closeness in style between this composition and the late work of Cornelis de Heem suggests that the present picture was executed in the 1680s when David was working in The Hague alongside his father. The signature may even be original. As a gezel in his father's studio, David was probably not allowed to sign his picture himself. Sam Segal (written communication, 14 August 2010) also believes the signature to be genuine and consequently attributes the picture to Cornelis de Heem himself.

We are grateful to Fred G. Meijer of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, The Hague, and Sam Segal for their help in cataloguing this lot.