Pseudo Jan van Kessel II

(active second half of the 17th century)
A kitchen still life with fish, vegetables and a cat,
oil on copper, 20.4 x 27.3 cm, framed

We are grateful to Fred Meijer for suggesting the attribution upon first-hand inspection.

Klaus Ertz proposes an alternative attribution to Jan van Kessel II (Antwerp 1654–1708 Madrid). A written certificate is available (January 2018). Ertz dates the present painting into the 1680s, when Van Kessel was active in Madrid. This still life can be added to a group of pictures, mostly on copper and some on walnut panels, made in the style of Jan van Kessel II.

Fred Meijer has proposed this group be attributed to the ‘Pseudo Jan van Kessel II’, an artist who was most likely working in southern Europe, probably Italy, during the 17th century.