Lot 127: After Van Dyck, Madonna & Child in a Landscape w/ Saint Joseph

Oil on canvas painting after Sir Anthony van Dyck's "The Holy Family in a Landscape" (traditionally known as Rest on the Flight to Egypt, c. 1630), in the collection of the Alte Pinakothek, Munich. Christ sleeps on Mary's breast while the two embrace. Joseph stands to the left in partial shadow cast by the thick foliage that surrounds them while a sunset sky appears through a clearing at right. Inscribed lower left "Kop. n. A. van Dyck / v. Paul Sprenger "(Copy after A. van Dyck / by Paul Sprenger). This information is repeated en verso and includes additional completion date of 1937 along with details in German about Van Dyck and his original painting upon which this 20th century copy is based. Housed in a giltwood frame. Sight: 39 1/2" H x 33" W. Framed: 45 1/2" H x 39 1/2" W. Note on the original painting: "In Italy, van Dyck had studied Titian's Madonna paintings. The color scheme with the broken red tones, but also the loosely sketched landscape in the background are influenced by Titian, as is the lovely type of Mary. Even in old sources, the subject is described as 'Rest on the Flight', which outlines the peaceful character of the scene. Deviating from pictorial tradition, van Dyck did not depict any secondary scenes of the event recorded in the biblical apocrypha, but concentrated on the Holy Family." (Source: Alte Pinakothek, Munich)

PROVENANCE: The collection of Alex and Cristina Ionescu, South Carolina, by descent from his father, the artist, conservator, and collector Vlaicu Ionescu of New York (1922-2001).

CONDITION: Overall very good condition. Pinpoint specks of flaking to foliage at upper right and above Joseph's head, plus to blue textile. With slight waviness to canvas.