Provenance:

Munich, Neumeister, Anonymous sale of July 1-2, 1981, Lot 717 (as circle of Pieter van Laer).

Private Collection, Saint Barthélemy.

Sotheby's, New York, sale of January 27, 2022, Lot 33.

Literature:

Rüdiger Klessman, "Addenda to Johann Liss," The Burlington Magazine, vol. 128, no. 996, March 1986, p. 192, no. 20, illustrated.

Rüdiger Klessmann, Johann Liss: A Monograph and Catalogue Raisonné, Ghent 1999, p. 168, no. 34, illustrated.

Lot Note:

Against a softly rendered blue sky, the shadowed figure of a lute player emerges in this nearly life-sized painting by the German artist Johann Liss, probably executed in Venice in the early 1620s. Leaning against a stone balustrade, the musician lowers his gaze toward his fingers as he tunes his instrument, a faint smile animating his full-cheeked face. His dark hair is partially concealed beneath an extravagantly plumed, wide-brimmed hat, while the saturated red of his cloak contrasts with the luminous white of his blouse. Through fluid brushwork and a sophisticated interplay of light, color, and tonal contrast, Liss imbues the figure with a striking sense of immediacy, while the compositional balance evokes the quiet harmony of the music he prepares to play.

The theme of the poetic musician, which originated in the Venetian tradition associated with Giorgione and his circle, was subsequently taken up by followers of Caravaggio. Comparable lute players appear in works by Bartolomeo Manfredi, Nicolas Tournier, and Valentin de Boulogne. In its conception, compositional arrangement, and handling of light, Liss’s painting bears a close affinity to Manfredi’s Lute Player.

The precise dating of Liss’s Lute Player remains uncertain, owing in part to the limited documentary evidence surrounding the artist’s career. In 1986, Konrad R. Klessmann attributed the painting to Liss’s first Venetian period in the early 1620s, although he subsequently revised his assessment in 1999, proposing a date in the late 1620s. This later dating was based on the painting’s loose, vigorous brushwork, which Klessmann compared with Liss’s Sacrifice of Isaac in the Uffizi Gallery, dated to circa 1629–30. Nevertheless, the earlier dating appears more persuasive. Both the subject matter and stylistic treatment of the Lute Player retain a distinctly Northern character, recalling the scenes of conviviality that Liss would have encountered during his formative years in the Netherlands.

Framed: 50 3/4 x 42 1/4 x 3 1/4 in.

Please contact Fineart@freemansauction.com for a detailed condition report.

The physical condition of lots in our auctions can vary due to age, normal wear and tear, previous damage, and restoration/repair. All lots are sold "AS IS," in the condition they are in at the time of the auction, and we and the seller make no representation or warranty and assume no liability of any kind as to a lot's condition. Any reference to condition in a catalogue description or a condition report shall not amount to a full accounting of condition. Condition reports prepared by Freeman's staff are provided as a convenience and may be requested from the Department prior to bidding.

The absence of a posted condition report on the Freeman's website or in our catalogues should not be interpreted as commentary on an item's condition. Prospective buyers are responsible for inspecting a lot or sending their agent or conservator to inspect the lot on their behalf, and for ensuring that they have requested, received and understood any condition report provided by Freeman's.

Please email fineart@freemansauction.com for any additional information or questions you may have regarding this lot.