Bartholomeus ASSTEYN (Dordrecht, 1607 - after 1669) Still life with apricots, peaches, plums, grapes and quinces in a Wanli porcelain bowl Oak panel, two boards, parquet flooring Monogrammed and dated '1633' lower right No frame Still live with apricot, peach, plum, grape and quince in a bowl, oak panel, dated, by B. Assteyn 20.47 x 30.12 in. 52 x 76.5 cm Provenance: Anonymous sale; Paris, Hôtel Drouot, étude Libert, 29 April 2009, no. 15 ; Acquired at this sale by the current owner Bartholomeus Assteyn's still lifes of fruit are characterised by branches and twigs abundantly covered with leaves, framing a luxuriant composition of fruit, often including numerous bunches of grapes, in the tradition of the pioneers of this genre such as Caravaggio (Fruit Basket, oil on canvas, 54.5 x 67.5 cm, Milan, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana) and Cavarozzi. There are around thirty dated still lifes by this artist, which means that ours is one of his early paintings. There are around ten of these, dating from between 1629 and 1632. The artist was 26 years old when he painted our panel. This was the best period of his career, when the influence of Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder and especially of his brother-in-law Balthasar van der Ast was most noticeable, linking him to the tradition of the Middelburg painters. We find their great naturalism, their taste for shells - here, a snail - and for insects - a butterfly - described with precision. Bartholomeus ASSTEYN (Dordrecht, 1607 - after 1669) 52 x 76.5 cm Bartholomeus Assteyn's fruit still lifes are characterised by branches and twigs abundantly covered with leaves, framing a luxuriant composition of fruit, often including numerous bunches of grapes, in the tradition of the pioneers of this genre such as Caravaggio (Fruit Basket, oil on canvas, 54.5 x 67.5 cm, Milan, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana) and Cavarozzi. There are around thirty dated still lifes by this artist, which means that ours is one of his early paintings. There are around ten of these, dating from between 1629 and 1632. The artist was 26 years old when he painted our panel. This was the best period of his career, when the influence of Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder and especially of his brother-in-law Balthasar van der Ast was most noticeable, linking him to the tradition of the Middelburg painters. We find their great naturalism, their taste for shells - here, a snail - and for insects - a butterfly - described with precision.