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Lot Essay
According to Godefroy, the present Phoenix watermark is one of the earliest to be found in Ostade's etchings.
The present impression comes from the collection of Dr S William Pelletier (1924-2004), Head of the Chemistry Department, University of Georgia. He began to collect prints, in particular works by Ostade and Rembrandt, but also European and North-American etchings of the 19th and early 20th centuries. His Ostade collection was undoubtedly one of the finest to be assembled in the 20th century and encompassed the artist's complete graphic oeuvre, including many subjects in multiple impressions. Pelletier was particularly keen to acquire rare, early states - not an easy undertaking, as he himself remarked: "Based on auctions and dealer’s catalogue offerings, I estimate that fine, early impressions of Ostade’s prints are about ten times as rare as Rembrandt’s prints of comparable quality and vintage. The quest for these impressions of Ostade’s etchings has proven a challenge over the past thirty years and has afforded me great pleasure." (quoted in: Frits Lugt, Les Marques de Collections de Dessins & d’Estampes, Fondation Custodia, online, no. 4193).
The present impression comes from the collection of Dr S William Pelletier (1924-2004), Head of the Chemistry Department, University of Georgia. He began to collect prints, in particular works by Ostade and Rembrandt, but also European and North-American etchings of the 19th and early 20th centuries. His Ostade collection was undoubtedly one of the finest to be assembled in the 20th century and encompassed the artist's complete graphic oeuvre, including many subjects in multiple impressions. Pelletier was particularly keen to acquire rare, early states - not an easy undertaking, as he himself remarked: "Based on auctions and dealer’s catalogue offerings, I estimate that fine, early impressions of Ostade’s prints are about ten times as rare as Rembrandt’s prints of comparable quality and vintage. The quest for these impressions of Ostade’s etchings has proven a challenge over the past thirty years and has afforded me great pleasure." (quoted in: Frits Lugt, Les Marques de Collections de Dessins & d’Estampes, Fondation Custodia, online, no. 4193).