Beschreibung:

Attributed to Caspar Netscher (German, 1639-1684) "Maiden Seated Before a Still Life of Fruit, a Landscape in the Distance" oil on canvas inscribed "C. Netscher/fecit" and dated "1674" lower right. Presented in an antique gold leaf frame. 25-1/2" x 30", framed 33-1/2" x 37-1/2" Notes: Caspar Netscher a German-born artist, assimilated the character of the 17th-century Dutch genre style of his master, Gerard Terborch, into portraiture, characterized by sumptuous dress and settings. Following his apprenticeship with Terborch, Netscher journeyed to Italy, studying the lighting and composition of Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces, which he incorporated into his work through the use of lighting and the diagonal composition. Through the synthesis of these two genres and styles, Netscher was able to introduce a distinctly international style to the Northern Netherlands through his adept handling of costly silks and brocades, as is evidenced in the portrait offered here. The blue taffeta and white silk fringed in lace are dramatically thrust upward in a dazzling array of textures rendered through the bravura of chiaroscuro. The finery of the woman's dress, as it ensconces her bosom, are a still life in itself, mirroring one of the rare melons at her feet. Both are exotic beauties for the taking of the affluent connoisseurs who patronized Netscher, making him one of the most prolific Dutch artists of his time. His works are conserved worldwide in major museums, such as the National Gallery, London; Amsterdam Museum; Uffizi, Florence; and the Staatliche Museen, Berlin.
The painting exhibits several campaigns of restoration, including relining, inpainting and over-varnishing. There are scattered areas of inpainting throughout that have been heavily varnished, which makes it difficult to see under UV light. There is blooming in the upper left quadrant and craquelure throughout.