Jan van Kessel d. J., Lot n° 316

Fruit still life with monkeys, ARA and owl oil on plate. 13 x 17.5 cm. Framed. The painting is accompanied by an expert opinion by Dr. Klaus Ertz, Lingen, January 28, 2020. This states that the painting was created in Madrid in the 1680s. The painting uses the deep black colour of the slate for the dark background, in front of which two monkeys or guenons playfully move between loosely arranged still life elements with fruits and vegetables. The probably older monkey sits on a pedestal with peaches, pears and a basket of grapes on the left, holds a fruit and turns his head away and hisses at the little monkey on the right, who looks anxiously and is occupied with a pumpkin. In the lower right corner there are mainly garden vegetables like leek, cabbage and onions. On the right side at the edge of the picture a Chinese porcelain bowl filled with figs, with a raised fig tree branch with an owl sitting on it. Opposite the night bird the painter has placed a red parrot on the leaves of a peach branch. As was customary at the time, the depiction probably has an allegorical-symbolic background. Painted in the highest quality, the composition shows a cleverly thought-out composition, the mimicry of the monkey figures of convincing closeness to nature and liveliness. Literature: Klaus Ertz, Christa Nitze-Ertz, The Painters Jan van Kessel: the Elder, the Younger, the "Other": The Paintings with critical œuvre catalogues, Flemish Painters in the Circle of the Great Masters, Volume 8, Lingen 2012. (12205619) (11) Jan van Kessel the Younger, 1654 Antwerp - 1708 Madrid FRUIT STILL LIFE WITH MONKEY, ARA AND OWL Oil on plate. 13 x 17.5 cm. Framed. An expert's report by Dr Klaus Ertz dated 28 January 2020, Lingen is enclosed. Literature: K. Ertz, C. Nitze-Ertz, The painters Jan van Kessel: the older, the younger, the "other": The paintings with critical œu