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Description: | An old man with a white beard and wearing a brown fur-trimmed hat and a cloak looks out towards the spectator with a doleful expression. He holds in his left hand two broken eggs at which he points with his right hand. His right arm rests on a wicker basket. On the table beside him are a large brass ewer, a wooden bucket, a lobster pot or creel and a wooden yoke.
Virag 16/12/2004, Between 1984 and 1985, a research assistant, Dr. Brendan Cassidy, was employed by Nottingham Castle Museum to research and write a catalogue of the foreign oil paintings in their collection. The catalogue never materialised, but drafts and notes relating to Cassidy's research can be found in the Artist Files and in the Archive at the Museum. All references to Cassidy relate to these documents.
Eggs were reknowned for their aphrodisiac qualities and bore sexual connotations. The theme of men holding broken eggs is very rare in art, but where the man is old, the motif has generally been understood to allude to exhausted fertility. The representation of the man's evident sorrow at his impotence is mocking and the inclusion of the yoke among the objects on the table could be a reference to female occupations; a further symbol of emasculation. The subject of NCM 1904-88 is comparable with a painting of 1632 by Abraham Bloemaert and also a lost work by his son, Hendrick.
The dating of NCM 1904-88 is based on that of other works featuring men with broken eggs by Abraham and Hendrick Bloemaert, as it seems likely that this motif was in vogue during a particluar period. The work by Abraham Bloemaert, "Peasant with Broken Eggs" is adted 1632 whilst a suggested date for a lost work by his son, Hendrick, "Old Man with Broken Eggs" is 1625-30.
The previous ownership of NCM 1904-88 prior to Richard Godson Millns has been cited as collection of Viscount Harberton (cf. Nottingham catalogue of permanent collection, 1906/1913). Three sales of the collection of the 5th Viscount have been discovered to have taken place in 1836 and 1864. The 1864 sale has been checked, but the two sales held in Dublin in 1836 have not. It is highly likely that NCM 1904-88 was sold from Viscount Harberton's collection in these Irish sales.
On the front:
The support would seem to be constructed of three vertical panels, of approximate widths; 23cm/29cm/24cm.
The joins are visible and have been retouched. The join on the right, which unfortunately runs through the man's face, is the most noticeable. I did not find any inscriptions, but conditions were not ideal. The inscription discovered by restorers in 1985/6 is accepted.
On the reverse:
The reverse could not be examined due to a plastic covering that was stapled to the frame.
NCM 1904-88 was cleaned and restored in1985-6 by Jesse Bruton Picture Restoration, Wolverhampton. The oak panel was discovered to be composed of three irregular-sized tongue and groove planks which had moved and caused cracking at the joints. A cradle was found on the back which, it was presumed, had been there to prevent further activity in the joins.
UV examination revealed extensive restorer's paint of different ages. Much of the background had been broadly re-touched and lines redefined. There had also been re-touching of the joins. Two pieces of missing panel from lower panel from lower left (approx. 1.3 cm x 10.2 cm) and lower right (piece retained) were replaced.
Cleaning of the panel uncovered the initials "G S" inscribed in red on the edge of the table at lower left. It was concluded that these letters must be fake when vestiges of another incription were uncovered on the table ledge, lower left. The letters "G S", previously thought to be the signature of the artist and supporting a tentative attribution to Godfried Shalcken, were removed by the restorer. It has been suggested (by Cassidy) that they may have been referred to a previous owner of the painting or to a previous restorer.
In the second and surviving inscription, the letter "W" (written as two interlocking Vs) can be made out, followed by a letter "O".
Treatment included removing surface film, yellowed varnish and old restorations and repairing paint loss.
Virag 16/12/2004, Collection of John James Pomeroy, 5th Viscount Harberton; Collection of Richard Godson Millns before 1904.
Accession number: NCM 1904-88 | Subjects: | costume (men's) metalwork allegory still life figures | Source: | Nottingham City Museums and Galleries | Creator: | attributed to ODERKERCKEN/Willem Van | Identifier: | http://media.culturegrid.org.uk/mediaLib... | Go to resource |
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