Live Auction 5962Centuries of Style: Silver, European Ceramics, Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes
WILLEM VAN LEEN (DUTCH, 1753-1825)
Lot 415

WILLEM VAN LEEN (DUTCH, 1753-1825)

Closed28 November 2012

Price Realised

GBP 11,875

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WILLEM VAN LEEN (DUTCH, 1753-1825)
A still-life of flowers in a sculpted stone vase on a stone plinth including peonies, delphiniums, auriculae, old roses and tulips, next to a bird's nest containing three eggs
signed and dated 'VLEEN 1794' (lower right) and signed, dated and inscribed on the backing card 'Willem van Leen. f 1794 voor zyn waarde Moeder' (= For his dear mother)
on ivory
2 3/8 in. (60 mm.) diam., modern gilt-metal bezel with glazed reverse to reveal inscription

Specialist note

Willem van Leen was born in Dordrecht and went to study in Paris in 1773. He stayed there for three years and became friends with Cornelis van Spaendonck and Piat-Joseph Sauvage. After his return to Rotterdam, he travelled to Paris again in 1787 but left France at the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789. During his Dutch period, he exclusively painted still-lifes of flowers and fruit. His miniatures are very rare; one, mounted on the lid of a box, is recorded in the Sypesteyn Foundation in Loosdrecht, and another one, a circular fixé-sous-verre, is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. no. A4111).