9,9 out of 10
Overview
In short..
This museological antique Delft tile mural is one of the most exclusive tile panels we had for sale the past years. On 52 tiles it depicts a one of a kind sea scenery with Mercurius on the right and Aeolus on the left. The mural was fabricated by pottery Kingma in the Dutch city of Makkum, most likely in 1784. It was painted by Adam Sijbel, who is considered to be among the most skilled painters of his time. A few pieces painted by Adam Sijbel are part of the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The mural was most likely purchased by John Webbe Weston in 1784 and installed in Sutton Place, Surrey in the United Kingdom.
Size (approximately) - 66.3" (w) by 20.4" (h) or 169 cm (w) by 52 cm (h)
Provenance: Sutton Place, Surrey - United Kingdom
In the center of the mural a sea scenery is depicted with different type of ships, such as inland vessels, coasters and a frigate. On the left side of the center scene a ship with the flag of 'Holland' is visible (red lion). Although a reference to war can be found in the mural, it mainly seems to focus on 'trade and commerce', which also explains the two figures on the sides. Mercurius on the right side is the God of financial gain, commerce, travelers, luck and so on. Aeolus on the left was the keeper of the winds. He was able to release favourable winds, which was of course a boost for the ships in the center and thus their owner.
This mural was completely unknown until it appeared for the first time in 2016. Although it had been removed in the 1930's from Sutton Place in Surrey, a famous manor house South-West of London, it was stored and hidden for the public during the past 90 years. Sutton Place has had famous owners, including Jean Paul Getty and Alisher Usmanov.
The mural was first shown to the public on a temporary tile exhibition in the Dutch National Tile Museum in the city of Otterlo. After more research an article about the mural, its history and the history of Adam Sijbel was published in the Dutch art and antiques magazine VIND. A digital copy of the article has been added (in Dutch).
Specifications
| Inventory number | AMS 55 |
|---|---|
| Period | 1780-1800 |
| Century | 18th century |
| Production area (city) | Makkum |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Size mural (approx.) | 66.3" (w) by 20.4" (h) or 169 cm (w) by 52 cm (h) |
Buyers information
About Regts - Delft Tiles
We are a family firm specialized in Delft tiles. Our stock covers the entire production period, which started around 1570 and ended just after 1900. If you are interested in working with us, please always feel free to get in touch.About usContact us
