Poppy Harvey-Jones
Head of Sale
Lot 23
J. Bourjinon(Active Amsterdam, 1660-1700)A bowl of peaches, with grapes, cherries, a peeled lemon, figs and other fruit on a stone ledge; and A split melon with grapes, peaches, oranges and other fruit on a stone ledge with a glass of wine (2)
5 July 2017, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£10,000 - £15,000
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J. Bourjinon (Active Amsterdam, 1660-1700)
A bowl of peaches, with grapes, cherries, a peeled lemon, figs and other fruit on a stone ledge; and A split melon with grapes, peaches, oranges and other fruit on a stone ledge with a glass of wine
a pair, oil on canvas
57.9 x 77.2cm (22 13/16 x 30 3/8in). (2)
a pair, oil on canvas
57.9 x 77.2cm (22 13/16 x 30 3/8in). (2)
Footnotes
Provenance
Count of Ibarra, Seville
Little can be said at the present time about this artist, whose works are gradually being rediscovered but who is only known from the surname that appears on various paintings, one of them in the Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, New Zealand. Within the literature on Dutch art, it was Dr Wurzbach who made the first reference to Bourjinon in the 1960s, noting that the artist might have been a woman, hence the distinctive style and the fact that it has not yet been possible to document their life. Although still not sufficiently well known, there were numerous female painters working in the Low Countries, many of whom focused on painting still lifes and floral compositions, possibly obliged to by the male-dominated art world. Particularly worthy of note are Clara Peeters and Anna Maria Janssens who married Jan Brueghel II. To judge from the style of the present work, the artist seems to have been active in the second half of the 17th century and may have trained in the studio of Cornelis de Heem. All the known works by this painter's hand include withered or spoiled leaves, which are a symbol of the fragility and brevity of life.
We are grateful to Dr. Fred Meijer for confirming the attribution to J. Bourjinon.
