Still Life with Lemon, Pipe and Bread

PETER WILLEBEECK

Ca 1620/25 -Antwerp-after 1647

Provenance:
Private collection, Germany;
Auction Sotheby’s, London, 12th July, 2001, lot 43;
Collection Hinrich Bischoff (1936-2005) Bremen
Kunsthandel David Koetser, Zurich, 1987 (shown on Pictura march 1987)
Kunsthandel Richard Green, London, 1985
Auction Sotheby’s London, 12th December, 1984, lot 225
Kunsthandel David Koetser, Zurich, 1977; (According to Mai literature)
Private ownership, England

Literature:
J. de Maere, M. Wabbes, Illustrated dictionary of 17th century Flemish painters, 3 volumes Bruxelles 1994, III, p.1282 reproduced
E. Mai, Das Kabinett des Sammlers, Cologne 1993, pp. 280,281 No.111 reproduced

Peter Willebeeck or Petrus Willebeeck (active 1632– ca. 1648) was a Flemish still life painter who was active in Antwerp in the second quarter of the 17th century. He is known for his fruit still lifes. Willebeecks oeuvre is small.
Virtually nothing is recorded about Willebeeck’s life and training. It is believed he was born around 1620-1625. The Liggeren of the Antwerp St Luke guild mention Willebeeck as a ’gezel’ (student) in 1632 studying with Eduard Snayers. Sometimes children from the age of 7 or 8 started already to ‘train’ with a master. But an age of 12-13 was also common. The liggeren mention Willebeeck again in 1646/47 when he becomes a master. Such a long time as a student point to a possible sojourn in another city or country.
Pieter Cosijn (III) (1630-1667) from The Hague was apprentice of Peter Willebeeck in 1647 between 17 June and 7 November for fl. 255 a year.

This signed painting is a tobacco-piece. ‘Toebackjes’ as they were called in seventeenth century inventories were a popular theme. The white clay pipe is often referred to as a Goudse pijp in Dutch, since Gouda was the main centre of production. But pipoes were also made in other cities. Still life painters preferred to include a pipe as their pure white long stem proved a highly effective pictorial element.
The unglazed red clay bowl in the background is filled with charcoal to light the pipe. A piece of paper filled with tobacco lies next to the pipe.
The theme of these painting can be explained in two ways. It shows the utilities of the enjoyments in a public place, drinking and smoking. But these enjoyments were also associated with idleness. In such a context this still life carries the admonition against abuse.

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