Gerrit (or Gerard) Dou (1613-1675)
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A recently rediscovered and highly important 17th century painting by Gerrit Dou (Leiden 1613-1675) will be offered during the second New York Old Master Paintings sale of 2005, to be held at Christie’s Rockefeller. A sleeping dog beside a terracotta jug, a basket, and a pile of kindling wood is a masterpiece of 1650 by the acclaimed Dutch painter who was the first and most famous member of the Leiden ‘fine’ painters (Leidse Fijnschilders) – and Rembrandt’s most accomplished pupil.
Estimated at $2,000,000-3,000,000, the work has been unpublished since 1908, has never appeared at a public exhibition, and is one of the finest Dou’s to come on the market in living memory.
Gerrit Dou specialized in small-format paintings, the details and surfaces of which he carefully observed and meticulously rendered. Entering Rembrandt’s studio at the age of 13, Dou’s ability was quickly recognized. His paintings were sought after by the greatest collectors of the day, including Charles II of England and by the age of 28 Dou’s style was hailed by historians and art theorists.
The subject matter and format of this Dou is unique within his oeuvre (only one other horizontal still life by the artist is known) and the painting has overtones of a Vanitas still life. Emphasizing the transitory nature of earthly life, the work keeps with the strong tradition for such themes in Leiden. However, its exact meaning remains unclear, and the visual richness of Dou’s imagery and the multi-layered interpretation played a large part in the appeal of his paintings to contemporary audiences.
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