LONDON.- Woolley & Wallis auctioneers are delighted to have discovered a lost work by the great Flemish Renaissance painter Abel Grimmer (c.1570-1620), which has emerged from a private collection after 90 years, from owners unaware of the artist behind it.
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About the discovery, paintings specialist Victor Fauvelle tells us: “Initially we were sent photographs of the painting by a client who wanted to ascertain who it was by and what it might be worth. On first look at the photos, the composition seemed to be very typical of Abel Grimmer, but we were not hopeful that it was genuine, as works by him are very rare. We felt sure therefore, that this would turn out to be merely a copy.
In order to research it further we went to The National Art Library in the V&A in London to go through the catalogue raisonné of Abel Grimmer and his father, Jacob Grimmer (1526-1590) (who was also an artist), which was published in 1991. The picture in question is described in detail in the catalogue raisonné and our picture fitted the description perfectly. Following this exciting discovery, the clients brought the picture to us and we could tell immediately that it was a period work from the paint surface, which had the unmistakable luminescence of this great period of Flemish late Renaissance painting. At Woolley and Wallis we pride ourselves on the quality of our research and rediscovering a lost work such as this, is one of the most thrilling aspects of the job.”
Abel Grimmer was an important figure in the development of Flemish landscape painting, during the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods, working in the tradition of his father Jacob Grimmer and Pieter Brueghel (c. 1525/1530-1569), but with his own personal and distinctive style. His landscapes cleverly combined detailed natural elements, with a strong sense of atmosphere, often in rural settings, with an emphasis on seasonal changes, which was truly innovative for his time.
As well as this, his paintings demonstrated a keen comprehension of light and colour, helping to create a sense of realism and depth to his works. His approach resulted in a fresh approach to landscape compositions, which marked a transition from the Medieval, more symbolic depictions of nature, to a more observational and naturalistic approach. Grimmer's landscape works strongly influenced later generations of Flemish painters, particularly in the development of genre scenes and landscape art.
His work can be found in museums including the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Brussels, the Groeningemuseum, Bruges, the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp, the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC and the Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham.
Regarding the whereabouts of the painting for almost a century, Victor said: “We were told by the family that it had belonged to an ancestor that lived in Brussels. While they were completely unaware of its importance and certainly had no idea who the famed painter was, they passed it down through the different generations of their family for posterity.”
The rediscovered painting titled A Landscape with Peasants near a Lakeside Castle is a fine example of Abel Grimmer’s work and is typical of his small-scale landscapes, populated with charming vignettes of rural life. Many of these works formed series, such as the Four Seasons, or the Twelve Months and it is thought that this work was probably one of a pair, with a depiction of Winter. The oil on canvas will be offered in Woolley & Wallis Old Masters, British & European Paintings sale on Wednesday March 5, 2025 and carries an estimate of £15,000-£20,000 (lot 167).
