May 14, 2026 10:00 EST
Old Master Paintings / Silver / English & Continental Furniture
333
Dutch Delft Blue and White Commedia Dell'Arte Figure
The Collection of H. Rodes Sr. and Patricia Hart
Circa 1750, Justus De Berg, De Witte Ster Factory
Modeled with exaggerated large hands, depicted wearing a beret and cape with ruffled collar and cuffs over a patterned costume, on a circular base reserved with alternating panels of trellis work and scrolls, with *JB mark. Height 7 3/8 inches (18.7 cm).
Provenance: Belgian Private Collection
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam.
Footnote:
Commedia dell'Arte originated in sixteenth-century Italy as a form of comic theater distinguished by masked stock characters whose instantly recognizable costumes and gestures made them ideal subjects for the decorative arts. As traveling troupes spread the genre across Europe, its figures were widely adopted by painters, printmakers, and ceramic manufacturers, particularly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These theatrical types became enduring ornamental motifs, especially in porcelain and Delftware, reflecting the period's fascination with performance, character, and playful narrative.
The Collection of H. Rodes Sr. and Patricia Hart
Circa 1750, Justus De Berg, De Witte Ster Factory
Modeled with exaggerated large hands, depicted wearing a beret and cape with ruffled collar and cuffs over a patterned costume, on a circular base reserved with alternating panels of trellis work and scrolls, with *JB mark. Height 7 3/8 inches (18.7 cm).
Provenance: Belgian Private Collection
Aronson Antiquairs, Amsterdam.
Footnote:
Commedia dell'Arte originated in sixteenth-century Italy as a form of comic theater distinguished by masked stock characters whose instantly recognizable costumes and gestures made them ideal subjects for the decorative arts. As traveling troupes spread the genre across Europe, its figures were widely adopted by painters, printmakers, and ceramic manufacturers, particularly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. These theatrical types became enduring ornamental motifs, especially in porcelain and Delftware, reflecting the period's fascination with performance, character, and playful narrative.
With previous restoration to right hand at juncture of wrist, left hand thumb, ankles, center of base, and back side of base, some chips and losses to glaze throughout.
Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client, is an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact and our Organization shall have no responsibility for any error or omission. Please contact the specialist department to request further information or additional images that may be available.
Auction: Old Master Paintings / Silver / English & Continental Furniture, May 14, 2026
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Auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings & Drawings on May 13, 2026
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Johan Julius Ringdahl's Achilles Mourning the Death of Patroclus Achieves a World Auction Record for the Artist
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for a Complimentary Auction Evaluation of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY -- Doyle held an auction of Old Master & 19th Century Paintings & Drawings on May 13, 2026 presenting works spanning the 16th through 19th centuries, including portraits, still lifes and landscapes, along with religious, historical and mythological subjects.
Johan Julius Ringdahl
A highlight of the sale was Achilles Mourning the Death of Patroclus, a rare neoclassic work by the Swedish artist Johan Julius Ringdahl (1813-1882), which tripled its $8,000-12,000 estimate, selling for an impressive $35,200—A World Auction Record for the Artist. A graduate of the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts who chiefly concentrated on portraiture and genre scenes, Ringdahl’s depiction of the first episode of the eighteenth book of Homer’s Iliad was almost certainly painted on commission for a serious lover of Greek poetry. It is a poignant evocation of the hero’s grief at the death of his friend Patroclus, who has been killed in battle by the Trojan prince Hector. Equally moving is the presence of Achilles’s mother, the sea goddess Thetis, who has come to comfort him. As she touches her son’s shoulder tenderly, she presents him with the new shield and armor just made for him by the smith god Hephaestus, offering him a way forward to fulfill his destiny.
Additional Categories in the Sale
Special sections of the sale will also showcase English & Continental Silver, lots 63-193 (Read More) on Wednesday, May 13 and English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts, lots 301-710 (Read More) on Thursday, May 14.
We Invite You to Auction!
Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
