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Allegory of Water (Germany)

Allegory of Water (Germany)

Object type Painting
Genre Allegory
Date 1610
Dimensions 21.1 x 31.7 cm
Support Copper
Medium Oil
Signature BRUEGHEL 1610
Our attribution Jan Brueghel the Elder
Other authorities Ertz 2008-10, #498
Pijl in Ambrosiana 2006 p.92 as genuine
Location/Most Recent Sale Germany, Private Collection
Series 1601-1611 Elements
Tags Cosmology, Animals, Birds, Fish, Van Balen, Pendant, Nude, Putti, Landscape
Pijl in Ambrosiana 2006, p.92
Ertz 2008-10, cat. #498, pp. 1048-49
1822 Hamilton Collection of the Dukes of Hamilton, Hamilton Palace
1823 London Collection of William Beckford, Fonthill Abbey
Before 1922 London Collection of Angela Burdett-Coutts, Highgate
May 4 1922 London Sale, Christie's, Lot #86 (advertised as part of a pendant with "Allegory of Air", Ertz 2008-10, Cat. 503)
Jul 7 1993 London Sale, Sotheby's, Lot #23 and #24 (as part of a pair with "Allegory of Air", Ertz 2008-10, Cat. 503)
1993 New York, NY Private Collection
Jul 8 1999 London Sale, Sotheby's, Lot #53 (as part of a pair with "Allegory of Air", Ertz 2008-10, Cat. 503)
E.A. Honig
August 5, 2015

Ertz (2008-10) speculates that this painting of "Allegory of Water" is part of a series of the elements which Jan Brueghel painted between 16010-1611. See Also:

The backside of the painting contains the inv. #286 from the Angela Burdett-Coutts collection.

This and the Allegory of Air are variants of the Doria Pamphilj versions but different in every detail.

Also see the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie website on this painting for further information.