1139 - FLEGEL, GEORG

FLEGEL, GEORG 1563 Olmütz–1638 Frankfurt/Main Circle o Title: Still Life with Cheese, Fruit and Wine. Technique: Oil on panel. Mounting: Parquetted. Measurement: 51 x 73cm. Frame: Framed. This still life can be attributed to the circle of the Frankfurt painter Georg Flegel (1566–1638), who ranks amongst the most significant figures in early German still-life painting. Characteristic of this pictorial tradition is the precise observation of the natural qualities of the objects, combined with a careful arrangement of their spatial relationships and a subtle compositional tension. In the left-hand half of the painting, an intriguing interplay with the motif of precarious balance unfolds. A bowl richly filled with fruit, grapes and peaches rests on a small pewter plate; on the right-hand edge of the plate stands a Roman-style goblet filled with wine, whilst an apple and an olive are situated on the left. The silver jug placed in the foreground protrudes beyond the edge of the table, reinforcing the impression of an unstable arrangement that is almost out of balance. The apparent randomness of the placement proves to be an essential element of the composition. The right-hand half of the table, by contrast, forms a comparatively cohesive counterpoint. A slice of cheese, a pewter jug, bread and a porcelain bowl filled with strawberries are grouped together to form a more tranquil-looking ensemble. The interplay between metallic reflections, the matt surface of the bread, the texture of the cheese and the nuanced colours of the fruit opens up a wide range of painterly possibilities. At the same time, the juxtaposition of the two halves of the picture lends the composition its distinctive rhythm. The focus on everyday foodstuffs and vessels, their nuanced rendering of texture, and the interplay between careful order and apparent instability are in the tradition of still-life painting by Georg Flegel and his artistic circle. The painting can therefore be characterised as a ‘Variastillleben’ from Flegel’s circle, without this necessarily implying that it was executed by the master himself. Provenance: - Private ownership, Germany. Estimated shipping costs for this lot: The lot is unsuitable for parcel shipping. Transport only by shipping company after consultation following the auction. additional shipping insurance Shipping insurance up to total invoice amount of 25,000 Euros: max. 41.65 Euro over a total invoice amount of 25,000 Euros: 1.8 o/oo USA by individual arrangement after the auction. #Georg Flegel #German School #Germany #16th/17th C. #Food #Still Life #Old Masters.