“The number one rule is you have to fall in love with a painting. And this love might not end in a transaction.”

Click here to read the full conversation with the collectors Gary and Anita Klesch for TEFAF.

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The Klesch Collection is delighted to announce the recent acquisition of The Denial of Saint Peter, a late work by Joachim Wtewael, a great master of Netherlandish Mannerism.

This nocturnal scene by Wtewael distinctly shows the impact of Caravaggio on Dutch artists at that time, evident in the chiaroscuro effects achieved here by the fire at the centre of the scene. Even though this painting is a clear testament of Caravaggism in Utrecht, Wtewael incorporated his personal fervor for refined detail, rich colouring and graceful, mannered poses, beautifully demonstrated by the s-shaped outline of the central figure.

Joachim Wtewael
(Utrecht 1566 – 1638)
The Denial of Saint Peter
oil on canvas
46.1 x 67.7 cm. (18.14 x 26.65 in.)
c. 1620

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“Only recently have female artists started to gain due recognition in the arena of old masters. When painters like Sofonisba Anguissola or Judith Leyster broke from the confinements imposed on their own sex […] we see them establishing their own position, challenging set preconceptions and overcoming the restrictions of their time. This is something that is very inspiring and relatable in today’s world […]”

Click here to read the full conversation with Amparo Martinez-Russotto, Curator of The Klesch Collection, and Emanuela Tarizzo, London Art Week Board Member and Gallery Director of Tomasso Brothers Fine Art.

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The Klesch Collection is pleased to announce the funding of the publication of Part XIX (3) of the Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, titled Portraits of Unidentified and Newly Identified Sitters Painted in Antwerp, written by Prof. Dr. Katlijne van der Stighelen and Em. Prof. Dr. Hans Vlieghe (University of Leuven).

The Rubenianum Fund was set up in 2010 in order to ensure that the Corpus Rubenianum Ludwig Burchard, the multi-volume catalogue raisonné of the oeuvre of Sir Peter Paul Rubens, is completed. Spanning 29 parts and about 50 volumes, it is without any doubt the most comprehensive publication ever devoted to a single artist. The books are based on the extensive documentation of the German art historian Dr. Ludwig Burchard (1886–1960), one of the most eminent Rubens specialists of the 20^th century. Upon his death, his archive and personal library was donated to the City of Antwerp and the first volume of this project was published in 1968. The final volume in the series is expected to be published in 2023.

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The Klesch Collection is delighted to announce the recent acquisition of Portrait of a young woman holding a chain        by Sir Peter Paul Rubens, who enjoyed unrivalled artistic supremacy in 17th-century Europe and became the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque.

This unique portrait, conceived with all the assured fluidity of Rubens’ hand, is testament to his masterful control of the paintbrush. Alongside the dazzling painterly strokes made to convey the cuff and ruff collar, the sitter’s face and hands are finished to a high degree, capturing the young woman’s youth and the intensity of her gaze.

Sir Peter Paul Rubens
(Siegen 1577 – Antwerp 1640)
Portrait of a young woman holding a chain
oil on canvas
85.5 x 66 cm. (33 ¾ x 26 in.)
c. 1603

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