Featured Bacchanal ... who painted it ?

Now there's news ! A smaller, signed version without the upper third, by Gerard Hoet (1648-1733) is found registrered in the Dutch RKD archive. So which one is the original and which one is a copy or repetition ?

 

Value goes very roughly like this: 1. Top Value-An authenticated original 2.Attributed to...3.From the school/student of (by a student/assistant)-an artist sanctioned copy by an assistant,etc,etc.The farther you get from the orig artists own hand,obviously less value.

 

The monetary value is of no interest to me.

 

Serious scientific analysis may be needed prove the answer,short of that the opinions of the experts who compiled the Catalog Raisonne' or restorers from the Rijksmuseum who've worked restoring the originals.

 

The RKD information does not seem to state where that painting is now, only tracing it up to the Sotheby's auction on January 27, 1999. The image they have may not show the entire painting (the image may be cropped). So there might be a chance that what they record and what you have are the same painting, subsequently resold at the Rasmussen auction.

Compare the RKD image with your painting and see if there are significant differences, keeping in mind that there may have been restorations in the intervening years. I see some differences, for example the cloth underneath the woman on the left. At a minimum, the RKD information provides an indication of where to look for a possible signature - "signed left center: C Hoet".

https://rkd.nl/en/explore/images/58801

It might also be helpful to look at the original Sotheby's auction catalog. Their online archive does not include it, but copies are available:

https://www.abebooks.com/Sothebys-1999-Old-Master-Paintings/21976071020/bd

 

The RKD painting measures 31.8 cm x 45.1 cm and lacks the upper third of mine. Mine measures 55 cm x 50 cm. So it's not the same painting, but two different versions. Since mine is more complete I'd guess that my version is the original. Unless of course that you can prove that it's the other way around ? Feel free to prove it !

 

Brilliant research tracking down that RKD info! Leaves you in a slightly difficult position though because it seems their example has already been through Sotheby’s and the Waterman Gallery so that attribution to Hoet is rock solid (though as advised worth seeing the wording in the Sotheby’s catalogue). Yours has been twice unattributed by an excellent auction house, is unsigned and has details missing that are on the RKD one. Therefore I’m guessing that yours would normally be seen as the copy. That being said, there are aspects of the artwork that do seem comparatively strong.

 

Kunsthandel K. & V. Waterman/Sotherbys on left, Golgotha's on right.

Just to make things easier for everyone to note the differences, which are multitude, between the pieces. Unfortunately I couldn't find a better version of the left piece, but I think it's still usable enlarged. Pretty fantastic that Golgotha managed to find it.

Worth noting that in that catalog of Hoet's work, he does as many in his day did and copied themes and did similar paintings. He's got Bacchanal works and twin-ish paintings of similar theme. Artists did replicate pieces done before, even showing clients previous work to pick from. They also employed apprentices and assistants who would paint some or all of an order, and learn from painting the master's work.

I still believe my first impression that Golgotha's is an apprentice piece. It's possible the Sotherby's one is a crop or was cut down. Being larger isn't a reason to consider it the original, as it takes away from the composition and you can see the artist wasn't sure what to do with the space, even stopping the tree trunk and tree in an awkward way. The faces and anatomy are not as well done. The mottling and color, even allowing for the Sotherby's piece having old varnish, is not as good. Lots of details that are not as confident or harmonious.

I think it would take an expert to say whether this was "Studio of Gerard Hoet" (ie someone who worked with him) or "Follower of Gerard Hoet" (ie later work, of which there are others cataloged as this) based on age. It's possible they're both by Hoet but the face seems too different on it's own. It's not a bad painting; apprentices trained from a young age and were quite good, but I don't think it's the original.

 

The onus is not on us to prove anything.

We can offer observations and suggestions based on the limited information you provide. But we do not have the painting in hand, much less the one sold at Sotheby's. I have suggested you find a copy of the Sotheby's catalog to see what information and additional photographs they may have provided. I am not going to buy one for you.

Did you take your painting to a paintings conservator for examination?

 

Used auction catalogs are mostly discarded. For the moment I believe the painting doesn't need a conservator. I did however send both photos to an art historian. He believes that Hoet probably painted both. Absolute certainty is probably an impossibility.

 

Golgotha-A free way to get a general opinion is to send good pics to both Sotheby's & Christie's & see if they're interested.I've done it a few times-it's either a Yay or a Nay.If it's Yes-the plot thickens !

 

To quote myself from my first post in this thread:
"Evidence to help date your painting and understand its history may be found in the construction of the strainer it is mounted on, the tacking edges, as well as the previous restoration work evident in the Bruun Rasmussen photo of the back. I would suggest that you take it to a paintings conservator for an assessment. They also may have examination techniques that might locate a signature, if one is present."

A good conservator with experience with early paintings on canvas will often have more knowledge of the technical/physical aspects of a painting than an art historian. If allowed to examine the painting directly, they might be able to confirm or disprove its likely age, its origin, and suggest further methods of investigation.

 

I provided a link to at least one copy of the catalog that is available for purchase.
There are probably more.

https://www.abebooks.com/Sothebys-1999-Old-Master-Paintings/21976071020/bd

 

I contacted Sotheby's. Based on the photos, they think that mine too could be by Hoet, but of course they can't tell with certainty, probably no one can.

 

Try Christie's too.They might consign it as 'attributed' or 'school of' if you wanted to sell it.