Auctions in Zurich: At the table with the Messiah

Does this painting remind you of Caravaggio? Normal. It is by the Dutch painter Matthias Stomer who worked in Italy in the first half of the 17th century.^e century. He was one of the first disciples of the master of chiaroscuro. A group of caravaggists was particularly active in Utrecht, where Stomer was probably trained. We are talking here about one of his masterpieces, “The Supper at Emmaus”, executed around 1640. Sold at auction by Koller in Zurich on September 20 among other old paintings, it is the star lot of the sales of this end of summer which in reality begin on September 18. Estimate: from 300,000 to 500,000 francs.

Since the early 1990s, the painting has been kept in a Swiss collection. “The Supper at Emmaus”, which embodies one of the most important themes of Catholic Counter-Reformation painting, is based here on the Gospel of Luke. Two disciples, on their way to the village of Emmaus, meet Christ who is returning from Jerusalem where he was crucified. They do not know him. It is only at supper time, when he breaks the bread and distributes it, that they understand that they are dealing with the Messiah. It is this element of surprise that the painter has highlighted. A moment whose intensity is amplified by the dramatic light that bathes the scene.

However, another work that was auctioned that day has the same estimate. It remained in the same family for generations before appearing on the market. It is an oil on panel by Clara Peeters, one of the most important artists of the Antwerp scene in the first quarter of the 17th century.^e century. She was a pioneer of the hunting still life. On this table strewn with inanimate birds, a peregrine falcon watches us, very much alive, its claws planted on the belly of its main prey; a partridge. He is the king. She is his throne. Around it rest a kingfisher, a snipe, goldfinches, finches and larks. The scene testifies to the popularity of falconry among the nobility of the time.

It is also difficult not to mention this feast of Saint George painted in the 16th century.^e century by Marten van Cleve the Elder. This fair was an opportunity for villagers to gather to eat, dance and take part in various competitions. A very popular theme in Flemish painting that the master, inspired by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, evokes with forceful characters. Estimate: between 250,000 and 350,000 francs.

Sylvie Lefebvre-Guerreiro has been editor-in-chief of Tribune des Arts magazine since 2021. A journalist with the same title since January 2000, she specializes in art, watchmaking and jewelry.More info

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