Beschreibung:

Pieter Brueghel the YoungerAntwerp circa 1564 - 1636The Dance of the Catherinettes Oil on panel51 x 66 cm ; 20⅛ by 26 in.____________________________________________ Pieter Brueghel le JeuneAnvers vers 1564 - 1636La Danse des Catherinettes Huile sur panneau51 x 66 cm ; 20⅛ by 26 in.Condition reportFor further information on the condition of this lot please contact clemence.enriquez@sothebys.com Catalogue note We are grateful to Dr. Klaus Ertz who confirmed the authentication of this work, upon first-hand inspection. A certificate dated 2 March 2022 will be delivered to the buyer. Five versions of this composition are known today, listed by Dr. Klaus Ertz in his catalogue raisonné of Pieter Brueghel the Younger (K. Ertz, Pieter Brueghel der Jüngere. Die Gemälde mit Kritischem Oeuvrekatalog, Lingen, 2002, vol. II, pp. 707–708, nos 849 to 855). They are of variable quality, and at the time Dr Ertz only identified two autograph versions: the present example – to date unpublished – can be added to this category according to him. The composition of the present painting is characteristic of Brueghel’s world: the artist’s painstaking research can be seen in the use of glazes for the details and the rendering of some materials, revealing the underlying drawing in places. The motif of the musicians on the right is recurrent in Brueghel’s repertoire, as is the stylistic treatment of the compact mass of figures in the middle ground. Finally, the perspective leading the eye towards the background landscape is also typical of the artist. The composition is skilfully structured: on either side, a figure closes the scene and encourages the viewer to focus on the central group. The standing woman in the foreground, richly dressed and decked with jewellery, is of course the bride. She is watching a man dancing in front of her; his less sophisticated attire means that he cannot be the bridegroom. Behind these figures, there is a group that mostly consists of identically coiffed women: the ‘Catherinettes’. The dance of the Catherinettes, shown here, was a tradition firmly anchored in sixteenth century Flanders: at weddings, young unmarried women aged over twenty-five wore this very recognisable white headdress. Thus marked out, they could be invited to dance by a man, the idea being that the dance would lead to a marriage. The tradition goes back to St Catherine of Alexandria, a king’s daughter and virgin martyr, who became the patron saint of young girls. Dr. Ertz suggests that Brueghel is evoking the origins of the dance in this composition: the leaves lying on the ground could recall the martyr’s palms, while the bride’s jewellery could hint at the wealth of St Catherine, who was born into a royal family. In the background, the church alludes to the religious ritual. The Dance of the Catherinettes has a pendant, The Bride’s Wedding Gifts, which follows on from the scene shown here. Many of the figures in it are similar, including the man on the extreme left of the present composition, as well as the bride herself. -------------------------------------------------------- Nous remercions le Dr. Klaus Ertz d'avoir confirmé l'authenticité de cette œuvre après un examen de visu. Un certificat en date du 2 mars 2022 sera remis à l'acquéreur. Cinq versions de cette composition sont connues à ce jour, répertoriées par le Dr. Ertz dans son catalogue raisonné de Pieter Brueghel le Jeune (K. Ertz, Pieter Brueghel der Jüngere. Die Gemälde mit Kritischem Oeuvrekatalog, Lingen, 2002, tome II, p. 707-708, n° 849 à 855). De qualité variable, le Dr. Ertz n’en distinguait alors que deux versions autographes : notre version – jusqu’alors inédite – vient compléter cette liste. La composition du présent tableau est en effet caractéristique du maître : l’utilisation de glacis pour les détails et le rendu de certaines matières, laissant apparaître par endroit le dessin sous-jacent, témoignent du travail de recherche de l’artiste. Les musiciens à droite sont un motif