(Rotterdam 1678–1727)
A village kermesse,
oil on canvas, 80.5 x 164.5 cm, framed

We are grateful to Luuk Pijl for confirming the attribution. His certificate accompanies the present lot.

Pijl writes: ‘This large and beautifully preserved painting shows an animated main street through a village, with a high church steeple dominating the scenery. Numerous figures are involved in a wide variety of festivities. Three open tents with a crowd and small bread puppets are rendered in the centre. At the left a coachman is waiting to pick up a few gentry guests. Other partygoers are dancing, singing and drinking. The right side of the composition is dominated by two large houses All these activities indicate that an annual Kermesse is being held. The prominent church steeple, pivotal in the composition also alludes to this. The Dutch and Flemish kerk, or church, is where the word Kermesse originates from.

Village kermises were a popular genre in Flemish painting towards the end of the 16th century. In the present composition the scene is constructed with a central vanishing point showing various aspects of the lively village feast, which was accessible for people from all walks of life. The subject originated from the work of Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1525–1569) and the theme was especially made popular around 1600 by David Vinckboons (1576–1632), a native from Flanders who worked in Amsterdam from 1591 onwards.

The present painting is stylistically indeed very typical for Rutger Verburgh. It closely relates to a signed picture with the same subject matter, which was offered at Sotheby’s Olympia, London, July 4th, 2006, lot 415. Unfortunately, no dated paintings by the master are extant and therefore it is not possible to suggest a date between 1695 and 1727 – the active years of the master – for our picture.

Biographical data concerning the life of Rutger Verburgh is very scarce. He belonged to a dynasty of Rotterdam painters. The son of the prolific landscape painter Dionys Rutse Verburgh, the young Rutger was probably trained by his father. No other painter is recorded as his master.’