Canvas & Clay: The Collection of Judith and Philip Sieg, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

This lot is accompanied by a copy of the letter from Dr. Judith Hansen O'Toole confirming its authenticity.

Provenance:

Alexander Walsh, South Woodstock, Connecticut

Acquired from the above by the present owners, 1984

Lot note:

Severin Roesen, one of America's preeminent early still life painters, created the present magnificent still life circa 1860-1870, when the artist lived in Williamsport, Pennsylvania and enjoyed the patronage of the newly rich, predominately German community engaged in the lumber industry. Anxious to celebrate the natural abundance of the New World, the population in central Pennsylvania responded positively to the lush images of fruits and flowers produced by Roesen. Painted in the still life tradition of their homeland, the artist was trained in Cologne and his compositions resonated with the Victorian mindset of new Americans.

Still Life of Fruit with Bird's Nest is exuberant with fruit so plentiful they have fallen from the vase, or perhaps never made it into the arrangement, as if the arranger was stopped in mid action. Small droplets of water further attest to their freshness. The popular late nineteenth century concept of memento mori, or a reminder of life’s fragility, is present in this fruit that will soon fade, as well as in the suspended activity of the arranger who has not yet finished their task. One could also see the appeal of Roesen’s subject matter to the more prosperous citizens of the “new world,” as it reflects the natural abundance of the Americas. Of further importance is the presence of the exquisitely rendered bird’s nest containing three eggs, the same number of children the artist had with his wife, Wilhelmina, also German-born.

In the artist’s typical style, the fruits are presented in a shallow picture plane and arranged directly on a dark, marble tabletop. The fresh, brightly colored fruits stand out against a slightly modulated background and are executed with precise rendering of detail and texture throughout, as was Roesen’s technique. An additional important feature of this still life is the authentic signature in italic script, as the artist signed only about twenty-five percent of his works. The signature is applied as if formed by a grape tendril, one of Roesen’s favored signature formats.