Munich, 28 September 2011, (kk) - With Willem I van de Velde's grisaille-work "Englische Kriegsschiffe" (English Warships) a masterpiece of marine painting will be called up at Ketterer Kunst in Munich on 27 October.

"This means that a painting by the presumably most renowned 17th century marine painter will be offered on the German auction market for the first time*", said company owner Robert Ketterer.

Besides the work's rareness - similar works can be found in the Louvre in Paris and in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam - it is particularly the grisaille technique, which van de Velde executed with great poise, that makes it so exceptional. Taking the graphic details into account, he attained a high level of plasticity and depth effect by means of subtle hatchures and a soft wash. The estimate for the work from the 1680s is at € 70.000-90.000.

Besides Joost Cornelisz. Droochsloot's 1622 work "Ansicht eines winterlichen Dorfes mit dem Festzug des St. Valentin" (estimate: € 30.000-40.000), other exciting lots that will be called up in the section of Old Masters are Johann Friedrich Gruber's oil painting "Prunkstillleben mit Hummer, Singvögeln und Pokalen" (estimate: € 15.000-20.000) and Gaspar Pieter Verbruggen's "Blumenstillleben in einer Bronzevase" (estimate: € 14.000-18.000) - as well as works by Albrecht Dürer, Bernardo Bellotto, called Canaletto, Hendrik Goltzius, Jan van Huchtenburgh, and Adriaen van Ostade.

The section of Art of the 19th Century is led by Ludwig Ferdinand Schnorr von Carolsfeld's oil painting "Die Heimkehr des verlorenen Sohnes" from 1838. Following the principles of the "Nazarenes", it shows the well-known scene of a biblical parable with a highly emotional character. The estimate is at € 70.000-90.000.

With a similarly high estimate of € 50.000-70.000 Charles Leickert's "Geschäftiges Treiben am Flussufer eines holländischen Städtchens" reaches the same realms. Made in the 1860s-1880s, the masterly executed oil painting renders the everyday world of the 19th century in all its facets with great poise.

Another highlight is Franz von Stuck's work "Adam und Eva" from around 1893. The estimate for the early bronze relief, which is very likely to be a unique piece, is at € 40.000-60.000.

The range of offerings in this section is completed by, among others, Paul von Franken's oil painting "Kaukasische Landschaft" from 1872, which captures the observer with a subtle light atmosphere (estimate: € 10.000-15.000), as well as by works from Ernst Karl Eugen Koerner and Themistockles van Eckenbrecher. While the first is going to fascinate with a nocturnal view of the "Goldenes Horn", a bay at the Bosporus in Istanbul (estimate: € 14.000-15.000), the latter will enter the race with an impressive coastal view of the Crimea (estimate: € 4.000-5.000). Last but not least Jakob Grünenwald's "Heimkehr vom Feld" (estimate: € 5.000-7.000), which originates from his main period of artistic creation, should not remain unmentioned.

* source: www.artnet.com