Page:Hofstede de Groot catalogue raisonné, Volume 1, 1908.djvu/221

 i JAN STEEN 197 playing at skittles. Two men and a boy in the foreground watch the man who is about to throw the ball. On the other side a man sits on the grass with a pipe and a bottle of wine. At the back a pair of lovers are seated on the ground. The setting sun sheds a warm light over the scene and increases the charm of this spirited composition. Panel, 13^ inches by II inches. [A copy is in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, D. Franken bequest.] Described by Nagler and Waagen (ii. 105). Engraved in the Le Brun Gallery, by De Ghend. Exhibited at the Royal Academy Winter Exhibition, 1890, No. 1 1 8. Sales. (Probably) J. Cromhout, Amsterdam, May 8, 1709, No. 33 (53 florins). (Probably) Cornelius van Dijck, The Hague, May 10, 1713, No. 40 (51 florins). Pieter Testas, Amsterdam, May 29, 1757, No. 41 (172 florins). C. van Heemskerck, The Hague, October 7, 1765, No. 30 (140 florins, Fouquet). Randon de Boisset, Paris, February 3, 1777, No. 128 (1600 francs). Poullain, Paris, March 15, 1780, No. 77 (2600 francs). Comte de Vaudreuil, Paris, November 24, 1784, No. 63 (3401 francs).' Destouches, Paris, March 21, 1794 (2500 francs). Gerard Saint-Maurice, Paris, 1796 (3430 francs). Montaleau, Paris, 1802 (2900 francs). De Preuil, Paris, 1811 (4950 francs). Prince de Talleyrand, Paris, July 7, 1817 ; the sale did not take place as the collection was bought by W. Buchanan. In the possession of the dealer W. Buchanan (Memoirs of Painting, ii. 335). In the collection of E. Gray, London. In the collection of Alexander Baring, London, 1833 (Sm.). Now in the collection of Lord Ashburton, The Grange. 738. THE SKITTLE-GROUND. Sm. 91 ; W. 368. In front of a tavern, to the right of an open common, four peasants are playing skittles, while a youth looks on. In the foreground are a couple on a bench. On the left is an arbour, in which various groups of peasants sit or stand. At the back of it is a house with pigeons on the roof. In the distance to the right is an open landscape ; to the left a church-tower rises amidst trees. In the foreground are two dogs, chickens, and a tree-trunk. Signed on the right ; panel, 25! inches by ao| inches. In the Neuilly collection. Saks. Walsh Porter, London, 1810 (^203 : 145.). Michael Zachary, London, 1828 (388 : IDS.). In the collection of Fr. Perkins, London. In the possession of the dealer Ch. Sedelmeyer, Paris, "Catalogue of 100 Paintings," 1894, No. 45. 738*7. Skittle-Players. Sale. Jacob Cromhout and Jasper Loskart, Amsterdam, May 7, 1709, No. 33 (53 florins). 739. Skittle- Players. W. 447. A tavern with large trees in front.