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Lot Essay
Adler dated this majestic wooded landscape to the 1640s (op. cit.), when Wildens was increasingly turning his attentions to painting pure landscapes. Previously to this, the artist had invested a lot of his energies in providing landscape backdrops for other established Flemish painters, most notably Sir Peter Paul Rubens, with whom he had collaborated since 1616, providing backgrounds for many of the designs for Rubens’ Decius Mus tapestry series. Wildens’ decision to focus on pure landscape painting may in part have been prompted by Rubens’ death in 1640 and the appearance on the market of many of his innovative later landscapes, which he had kept in his own private collection. Indeed, this work exhibits the same vibrant light and sketchy character found in many of Rubens’ own later works. Wildens continued to collaborate with figure painters, the staffage in this painting is likely to have been painted by Hans Jordaens III.
A note on the provenance: This painting once formed part of the celebrated Bute collection at Luton Park. John, 3rd Earl of Bute, a Scottish peer, was an extremely important political figure in Britain during the eighteenth century. Having moved to London during the Jacobite rebellion, he soon became a close associate of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales (1707-1751). After the prince’s death, the education of his son, George, later King George III, became a matter of pressing importance and, in 1755, Bute was appointed as his tutor. In 1760, Bute was elected the country’s de facto Prime Minister, ending the Whig majority which had been in place since 1721. The earl commissioned the construction of his house at Luton from Robert Adam in 1767, and was living there by 1774. This painting remained in the family until its sale, in these Rooms, in 1996.
A note on the provenance: This painting once formed part of the celebrated Bute collection at Luton Park. John, 3rd Earl of Bute, a Scottish peer, was an extremely important political figure in Britain during the eighteenth century. Having moved to London during the Jacobite rebellion, he soon became a close associate of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales (1707-1751). After the prince’s death, the education of his son, George, later King George III, became a matter of pressing importance and, in 1755, Bute was appointed as his tutor. In 1760, Bute was elected the country’s de facto Prime Minister, ending the Whig majority which had been in place since 1721. The earl commissioned the construction of his house at Luton from Robert Adam in 1767, and was living there by 1774. This painting remained in the family until its sale, in these Rooms, in 1996.