Francis Mouton
@auctionaugur.bsky.social
Art historian looking for interesting stories in old master auctions
Muller sale, 1926, lot 675: Jacob Van Ruysdael, "Cascade", canvass, 51*64cm, signed, 4000Fl. Too many similar ones to be able to find this one.
Next week starts with a painting where I did find the current location, a city museum, and where the description has totally changed!
Next week starts with a painting where I did find the current location, a city museum, and where the description has totally changed!
January 23, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 675: Jacob Van Ruysdael, "Cascade", canvass, 51*64cm, signed, 4000Fl. Too many similar ones to be able to find this one.
Next week starts with a painting where I did find the current location, a city museum, and where the description has totally changed!
Next week starts with a painting where I did find the current location, a city museum, and where the description has totally changed!
January 23, 2026 at 8:39 AM
Daily image from my visit to the Ateneum in Helsinki (because you have to find beauty somewhere in these depressing times): Ferdinand von Wright, "Fighting Capercaillies", 1886.
January 23, 2026 at 8:37 AM
Daily image from my visit to the Ateneum in Helsinki (because you have to find beauty somewhere in these depressing times): Ferdinand von Wright, "Fighting Capercaillies", 1886.
Muller sale, 1926, lot 674, is an interesting though likely sad one. Anthonie Palamedesz, "Dancing couple", panel, 69*80cm, 3700Fl. Turns out that this one was nazi-looted in 1941 for the "Fuhrer museum", and is listed without provenance on the lost-art database. Strangely, the RKD has a lot 1/2
January 22, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 674, is an interesting though likely sad one. Anthonie Palamedesz, "Dancing couple", panel, 69*80cm, 3700Fl. Turns out that this one was nazi-looted in 1941 for the "Fuhrer museum", and is listed without provenance on the lost-art database. Strangely, the RKD has a lot 1/2
January 22, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Daily photo from my visit to the Ateneum museum of Finnish art: Akseli Gallen-Kallela, "Aino Myth", 1891. Typical grand-scale 19th century Romantic Nationalism, but beautifully executed (frame as well!). Central panel in next post 1/2
January 22, 2026 at 8:55 AM
Daily photo from my visit to the Ateneum museum of Finnish art: Akseli Gallen-Kallela, "Aino Myth", 1891. Typical grand-scale 19th century Romantic Nationalism, but beautifully executed (frame as well!). Central panel in next post 1/2
Muller sale, 1926, lot 673: Adriaen van Ostade, "The butchered pig", canvass, 75*68cm, signed, 1636, 2400Fl. Known from other versions (this one looks rather good), perhaps more likely to be Isaac van Ostade though.
January 21, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 673: Adriaen van Ostade, "The butchered pig", canvass, 75*68cm, signed, 1636, 2400Fl. Known from other versions (this one looks rather good), perhaps more likely to be Isaac van Ostade though.
January 21, 2026 at 9:03 AM
Daily picture from my visit to the Ateneum in Helsinki. Nearly at the end already, as I'm more an Old Masters person, but the museum really is worth a visit. Tove Jansson (of Moomin!), "Self portrait", 1942.
January 21, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Daily picture from my visit to the Ateneum in Helsinki. Nearly at the end already, as I'm more an Old Masters person, but the museum really is worth a visit. Tove Jansson (of Moomin!), "Self portrait", 1942.
Muller sale, 1926, lot 671: Aert Van der Neer, "Evening", panel, 32*50cm, 12500Fl. They all look the same, haven't found this one.
Lot 672: Adriaen van Ostade, "Smoker", panel, 23*18cm, 4100Fl. Should have an image, but neither my copy nor the only one has it. Too generic to find.
Lot 672: Adriaen van Ostade, "Smoker", panel, 23*18cm, 4100Fl. Should have an image, but neither my copy nor the only one has it. Too generic to find.
January 20, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 671: Aert Van der Neer, "Evening", panel, 32*50cm, 12500Fl. They all look the same, haven't found this one.
Lot 672: Adriaen van Ostade, "Smoker", panel, 23*18cm, 4100Fl. Should have an image, but neither my copy nor the only one has it. Too generic to find.
Lot 672: Adriaen van Ostade, "Smoker", panel, 23*18cm, 4100Fl. Should have an image, but neither my copy nor the only one has it. Too generic to find.
January 20, 2026 at 8:47 AM
Daily image from the Ateneum (museum for Finnish art) in Helsinki: "Prince", I mean "Self portrait" by Valle Rosenberg, 1910.
January 20, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Daily image from the Ateneum (museum for Finnish art) in Helsinki: "Prince", I mean "Self portrait" by Valle Rosenberg, 1910.
Muller sale, 1926, lot 669: Nicolaas Maes, "Child dressed as a shepherd", signed, canvass, 58*47cm, 1000Fl. No image, no later trace of it.
Lot 670: Michiel van Mierevelt, "Notable", panel, 72*61cm, 1000Fl. Other version from his workshop, same dimensions, in the Museum Mayer Van den Bergh.
Lot 670: Michiel van Mierevelt, "Notable", panel, 72*61cm, 1000Fl. Other version from his workshop, same dimensions, in the Museum Mayer Van den Bergh.
January 19, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 669: Nicolaas Maes, "Child dressed as a shepherd", signed, canvass, 58*47cm, 1000Fl. No image, no later trace of it.
Lot 670: Michiel van Mierevelt, "Notable", panel, 72*61cm, 1000Fl. Other version from his workshop, same dimensions, in the Museum Mayer Van den Bergh.
Lot 670: Michiel van Mierevelt, "Notable", panel, 72*61cm, 1000Fl. Other version from his workshop, same dimensions, in the Museum Mayer Van den Bergh.
January 19, 2026 at 8:25 AM
Daily photo from my visit to the Ateneum (museum of Finnish art) in Helsinki: Magnus Enckell, "Boy and Sail", 1902.
January 19, 2026 at 8:23 AM
Daily photo from my visit to the Ateneum (museum of Finnish art) in Helsinki: Magnus Enckell, "Boy and Sail", 1902.
Muller sale, 1926, lot 668: Bartholomeus Van der Helst, "Young Man in Parade Uniform", 1665, canvass, 76*64cm, 8000Fl. Beautiful work, but whereabouts unknown (as said in Judith van Gent's 2011 extensive work about the painter). books.google.be/books?id=GpE...
January 16, 2026 at 1:45 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 668: Bartholomeus Van der Helst, "Young Man in Parade Uniform", 1665, canvass, 76*64cm, 8000Fl. Beautiful work, but whereabouts unknown (as said in Judith van Gent's 2011 extensive work about the painter). books.google.be/books?id=GpE...
January 16, 2026 at 8:22 AM
Daily image from the Ateneum, the museum of Finnish art in Helsinki: Again Helene Schjerfbeck, this time her absolutely stunning self portrait from 1915.
January 16, 2026 at 8:19 AM
Daily image from the Ateneum, the museum of Finnish art in Helsinki: Again Helene Schjerfbeck, this time her absolutely stunning self portrait from 1915.
Muller sale, 1926, lot 666: a second Jan Van Goyen, "Ferry crossing a river", panel, 41*55cm, 4000Fl. A lot cheaper than the previous one. Can't find any further trace of it. See image.
Lot 667: Willem Heda, "Breakfast", signed, 1646, panel, 58*75cm, no image, 1900Fl. Impossible to pinpoint.
Lot 667: Willem Heda, "Breakfast", signed, 1646, panel, 58*75cm, no image, 1900Fl. Impossible to pinpoint.
January 15, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 666: a second Jan Van Goyen, "Ferry crossing a river", panel, 41*55cm, 4000Fl. A lot cheaper than the previous one. Can't find any further trace of it. See image.
Lot 667: Willem Heda, "Breakfast", signed, 1646, panel, 58*75cm, no image, 1900Fl. Impossible to pinpoint.
Lot 667: Willem Heda, "Breakfast", signed, 1646, panel, 58*75cm, no image, 1900Fl. Impossible to pinpoint.
Sequel... tacozip.blog/2023/03/13/v...
January 15, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Sequel... tacozip.blog/2023/03/13/v...
Daily image from the Ateneum museum in Helsinki: Helene Schjerfbeck, "The Convalescent", 1888, an early work by this exceptional artist I didn't know before this museum visit (I'm not that well versed in more modern artists apart from the household names and some Belgian art).
January 15, 2026 at 8:28 AM
Daily image from the Ateneum museum in Helsinki: Helene Schjerfbeck, "The Convalescent", 1888, an early work by this exceptional artist I didn't know before this museum visit (I'm not that well versed in more modern artists apart from the household names and some Belgian art).
Muller sale, 1926, lot 665: Jan Van Goyen, "View of a river", 1646, panel, 40*66cm, 10200Fl. Now in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zurich as "View across the Haarlemmermeer". collection.kunsthaus.ch/en/collectio...
January 14, 2026 at 1:42 PM
Muller sale, 1926, lot 665: Jan Van Goyen, "View of a river", 1646, panel, 40*66cm, 10200Fl. Now in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zurich as "View across the Haarlemmermeer". collection.kunsthaus.ch/en/collectio...
Voor de Nederlanders of Orangisten onder jullie; een bordje van Prins Willem V (2/2 18de eeuw) voor 20 Euro (schatting), in Frankrijk (dus wel wat verzendingskosten). Niet herkend als dusdanig door veilinghuis. Geen idee wat zoiets normaal kost. Mooie rand! www.interencheres.com/art-decorati...
January 14, 2026 at 12:03 PM
Voor de Nederlanders of Orangisten onder jullie; een bordje van Prins Willem V (2/2 18de eeuw) voor 20 Euro (schatting), in Frankrijk (dus wel wat verzendingskosten). Niet herkend als dusdanig door veilinghuis. Geen idee wat zoiets normaal kost. Mooie rand! www.interencheres.com/art-decorati...
Painter's block... tacozip.blog/2023/03/12/v...
January 14, 2026 at 9:15 AM
Painter's block... tacozip.blog/2023/03/12/v...
First daily photo from my visit to the Ateneum Museum in Helsinki. No real Old Masters, but a select few more modern things I liked a lot. Elin Danielson-Gambogi (1861-1919), "Self portrait", 1900
January 14, 2026 at 9:01 AM
First daily photo from my visit to the Ateneum Museum in Helsinki. No real Old Masters, but a select few more modern things I liked a lot. Elin Danielson-Gambogi (1861-1919), "Self portrait", 1900