Lot 645: Karel van Vogelaer, Carlo dei Fiori (Maastricht 1653-1695 Rome)

Karel van Vogelaer, Carlo dei Fiori (Maastricht 1653-1695 Rome)
Tulips, roses, peonies, irises and other flower in an ornamental urn, with a pair of doves
signed and inscribed 'CAREL DE VOGELAER ROMA[..]' (left centre, on the ledge)
oil on canvas
53¼ x 38 5/8 in. (135.3 x 98.1 cm.)

D. Bodart, Les Peintres des Pays-Bas Méridionaux et de la Principauté de Liège à Rome au XVII Sècle, Brussels and Rome, 1970, I, pp. 519-520 and II, fig. 311.

Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 20 March 1664, lot 110.
With Galerie Canessa, Rome, 1964.
With Fine Art Society, London, 1991.

Born in Maastricht, Carel de Vogelaer is thought to have trained initially in his native city as a flower painter, perhaps under the aegis of his father, Pieter de Vogelaer, who was also an artist. He left for Italy in circa 1668, arriving in Rome possibly as early as 1671, although he is not recorded there for certain until 1675 when initiated into the Bentveughels society of artists. According to Pascoli, he enjoyed immediate success there and was patronised by many of Rome's affluent collectors such as Francesco Montioni, Nicola Maria Pallavicini, the Abbot Paolucci and Giambattista Cesa (see L. Pascoli, Vite dei Pittori..., II, Rome, 1736, p. 340).
Vogelaer painted several still lifes signed in the same way as the present picture, most of which seem to have been produced in pairs. The present painting was probably also conceived with a pendant which might well have been the picture of exactly the same size sold Christie's London, 10 July 2002, lot 165: that picture is similarly signed on a capital placed on the right side; the horizon is set at the same low level and a rabbit in the right foreground counters the dove in the present work.