Cornelis Holsteyn, attributed to
Vertumnus and Pomona
Oil on canvas (relined). 106.8 x 82.8 cm.
This depiction is based on an episode from Ovid's Metarmorphoses. The god of vegetation Vertumnus falls in love with the goddess of tree fruits Pomona, but she rejects him. He unsuccessfully courts her in the guise of various characters until he approaches her disguised as an old woman and thus gains access to her garden.
Few surely attributed works by the Dutch classicist Cornelis Holsteyn are known. Born in Haarlem, he specialised in portrait painting as well as biblical and mytological themes. One of his most beautiful works is the painting "Venus Mourning for Adonis" in the Frans Hals Museum, Haarelm, which was painted around 1655. This painting was thought to be the work of Caesar van Everdingen, but is now attributed to Cornelis Holsteyn. The canvas is registered in the RKD (Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie) under the no. 121544.
Provenance
Christie's, London, auctioned on 21st June 1902, lot 175 (as Eeckhout). - Auctioned by Lange Berlin, 12th May 1942, lot 175 (as Caesar van Everdingen), - Christie's, Amsterdam, auctioned on 9th May 2007, lot 6 with colour illustrations (as circle of Cornelis Holsteyn), sold to Johnny van Haeften, London. - German private collection as of July 2007.
Literature
Paul Huys Janssen, Caesar van Everdingen, 1616/17-1678: monograph and catalogue raissoné, Dornspijk 2002, R12 (unattributed works).