Jan van Huysum’s Pendants Target $10.7 Million at Christie’s

By Daniel Okafor

Christie’s estimates $8 million to $10.7 million (£6 million to £8 million) for Jan van Huysum’s A Vase of Flowers and Fruit with Flowers, which will lead its Old Masters Evening Sale in London on December 8.

Christie’s says the pair comes from a private collection. The provenance, at least, names its owners.

What makes the pair exceptional?

Christie’s identifies Van Huysum as a Dutch Golden Age artist and describes the two pictures as his only known large-scale fruit and flower pendant paintings, dating from 1731 to 1733.

Here, a pendant is one half of a coordinated pair. Christie’s says the ownership record includes the Landgraves of Hesse-Kassel, the Barings and the Rothschilds, and calls the provenance (the documented ownership history of a work) rich.

Both are still lifes (arranged compositions of objects). In A Vase of Flowers, Christie’s lists a terracotta vase overflowing with roses, hyacinths, gentians, peonies and other blossoms.

Christie’s describes Fruit with Flowers as fruit and flowers spilling on top of one another: peaches, grapes, figs, plums, red currants and a pomegranate, with hollyhocks and poppies.

What does the specialist see?

Christie’s global head of the Old Masters department, Andrew Fletcher, said in a statement: “In terms of quality, condition and visual impact these are amongst the finest 18th century still lifes I have come across and they perfectly exemplify the refinement and ambition of Van Huysum’s mature style.”

Fletcher’s terms—quality, condition and visual impact—form the specialist case. The mature-style judgment supplies its interpretive frame. The bidders will supply the price.

Where can collectors see the paintings?

Christie’s says the pendants will tour New York until November 16, before going on public view in London on December 4 and the sale follows on December 8.

London collectors therefore have four days to see the pair before bidding.

What does the June trading show?

In June, Christie’s sold Van Huysum’s Peaches and Grapes in a Wicker Basket for $8.65 million (£6.52 million), after an estimate of £3 million to £4 million, during the Old Masters Evening Sale in London.

Christie’s also reported $7.35 million (£5.54 million) for another Van Huysum, an elaborate bouquet of roses, peonies, narcissi, poppies and orange blossom.

The current pair’s $10.7 million top estimate is $2.05 million above the basket painting’s June result. That is a scale check, not a forecast.

Christie’s is asking bidders to clear a bar set by its own June results.

What will December 8 reveal?

Christie’s makes one categorical claim for the pair: they are Van Huysum’s only known large-scale fruit and flower pendants.

Quality, condition and visual impact carry the specialist argument. The estimate asks the market to agree.

December 8 will show whether the pair’s rarity, condition and visual impact can support a price near $10.7 million, or whether Christie’s high estimate proves optimistic.