Are these Dutch perhaps?

Hi all,

I recently bought these 4 paintings at an auction, not a lot paid for the 4, £70. They are all oil on wood panels. Are they possibly of Dutch origin would you think and like me, do you think that they may of originally been panels in a piece of furniture?

The reason why I think this is because each one seems to have a slightly raised border on the paint where they could of have beading in place securing them into a cabinet maybe?

They also all have a sort of varnish glaze on top of the paintings, they are all unsigned.

Any information with regards to the country of origin, age or even at a long shot, the artist would be very appreciated as my knowledge of art is minimal.

Thanking you in advance.

 

Hi Skerry.

Just acknowledging your post.

Others will be along who might be able to help. I'm sorry that I cannot.

 

Hi Judy,

Thank you for acknowledging my post, that is very appreciated and friendly

 

My pleasure!

 

I seem to have seen the first and third panel before, so I think they are based on older paintings.
Apart from the third one, which reminds me a bit of Breughel etc. paintings, I can't see a Dutch connection here (I am Dutch).
The way the woman in the second panel wears her headscarf looks Italian, or possibly Greek.

 

Hello, thank you for your fast and interesting reply. I just checked out Breughel paintings and I can definitely see the resemblance in the general style there. I never thought to look at the dress of the subjects, I would not make a good art detective thats for sure ha ha......... thank you once again, some good information to pursue.

 

Pleasure. I collect regional costumes (although some would say I collect collections), so dress always catches my eye.

 

I also don't think particularly Dutch. I also don't think furniture panels. Probably framed at one point and the frames damaged the paint slightly. These appear to be talented amateur paintings. As noted, some or all may be copies of famous works.

 

I enlarged (I think!) the backside image.....is that just paper backing or does it look like they were glued to something??? You have them in hand and can better tell.....

 

Are those on wood or metal ? My eyes are bad today,I genuinely cant tell ! I think Brad hit it on the head,but decoratively speaking they make an interesting little group.

 

They are on wood and as a size guide the largest is 9 inches in height. The 2nd largest has a chamfered edge on the back of it. There are remnants of a paper backing to them all. As Johnny says, an interesting little group. Thanks for your imput on this guys, very appreciated.

 

If you click on Full Image after you upload, your pictures will appear in your post and be easier for us to see.

 

To me they look like copies of some museum paintings. I don't have time to search right now (I'm supposed to be working!)

 

Here's one of yours in an etching. Painting by Adriaen van Ostade. I knew it looked familiar. Two Peasants in a Doorway.

 

Thanks Bev for the photo tip and also the pointer to perhaps them being copies of museum paintings, it gives me a direction to research...... back to work then

 

Your other post only just showed up as I posted my last one.....fantastic on finding that, I am so impressed, thank you. You have given me a very good lead now so i ma going searching online for the others. Many many thanks.

 

I do think these wood panels were glued to some piece of furniture long ago, probably done strictly for decorative purposes to embellish the face of a battered chest or sideboard. Whomever painted these did properly prime the face of the boards with gesso or other white subsurface media (milk paint?). These are oil paintings and look more German than Dutch to me.

Often art students draw museum pieces to learn but I don't really think that's the case here, rather just that these were done for decoration.

 

Thank you Antidiem for that information. With all the information that you have given me and others on here today I can now appreciate these paintings even more. I just wish I knew how old they are but I think that they could be anywhere from 1750 to 1850, just my thoughts on that but I am no expert, just a feeling.

 

You're very welcome, they certainly do have some age on them and done by an artist (even if not a "famous" one). You may be able to date them from the wood used. I cannot tell anything about the age of the wood from your pictures of the backside posted, they are too small and dark for my bad eyesight.

 

Artists and amateurs often use older panels, sometimes even antique ones. Sometimes because it is a good wooden panel or it is just around, sometimes because they want to make a painting look antique.