Lot 228: Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert (Bergen-op-Zoom 1613

Thomas Willeboirts Bosschaert (Bergen-op-Zoom 1613 - 1654 Antwerp) Vanity, oil on canvas, 114.5 x 84.5 cm, framed, (Wo) An almost identical version of this composition was sold on 16 December 1999 at Sotheby's, London, for 178,000 US-$. In 1637 Willeboirts Bosschaert became a master of the Guild of St. Luke in Antwerp. The artist travelled through Germany, Italy, and Spain for three years and then settled in Antwerp. Willeboirts's compositions are skilful and tasteful, and the figures, which are sometimes life-sized, are well drawn and meticulously executed. He painted the figural staffage in the still lifes of Jan Fyt, and the Antwerp-based painter Frans Ykens in turn used to execute the vegetation in his compositions. Many of his paintings still seem to be attributed to Rubens and Van Dyck. We are grateful to Jan de Maere, who believes this painting to be an autograph work by Thomas Willeboirts (oral communication).