"The following condition report has been provided by Sarah Walden, an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting is on a fine oak panel with one central joint that has been reglued and retouched. It has established a slight curve but with no sign of raised paint, past or present, and the fine craquelure is even throughout. A narrow border strip has been added down the left edge for the rebate of the frame, but with a thin line of retouching where it becomes visible. This may also have been added to strengthen the lower left edge which seems to have had a knock at some time, causing a narrow crack running from near the left base corner vertically up to near the middle of the left side, much of which is just a hair line crack with a narrow line of retouching near the base. Slightly further to the right at the base there was a rather broader knock about four inches high crossing the flowers on the table. This has fairly narrow recent retouching over rather wider previous retouching, more dimly visible under ultra violet light, very well integrated, and entirely stable. There is also a narrow line of retouching down the joint. The flowers are beautifully intact virtually throughout, apart from the stalks and some parts of the little flowers in the bunch on the table, mentioned above. Even the glazing in the depths of the roses and minute details of veining for instance are intact. The darker background has however been affected by past restoration, with thinner patchy areas especially towards the centre, where the leaves in the background are also worn, sometimes down to the ground. A rectangular cleaning test, also worn, can be seen on the wooden chest holding the flowers. Such brown backgrounds are always especially vulnerable, and were originally lightly brushed with almost transparent, liquid paint to give greater luminosity. Apart from the retouched cracks at the lower left corner there are only a few minor recent retouchings within the still life itself, for instance in the upper right leaves, and some possible past strengthening in the background, with one broader old retouching at the edge of the lower right corner. However the fine enamelled condition of the flowers is preserved with full precision and depth of colour. This report was not done under laboratory conditions."
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

This is one of several versions by Jan Brueghel the Younger of the celebrated flower-piece painted by his father, Jan Brueghel the Elder, circa 1606-7, the so-called Wiener Kaiserkronenstrauß in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.¹ Klaus Ertz lists seven versions of the composition done by the younger Brueghel,² and the present work has most in common with the version formerly in the Wetzlar collection, Ertz no. 269, with which it shares the same dimensions. Each version carefully follows the design of the elder Brueghel, with only minor differences. Another version by the younger Brueghel, of slightly larger dimensions, was sold in these Rooms, 11 December 2003, lot 56, for £650,000.

1. For a good colour reproduction see A. Wied, in Das Flämische Stilleben 1550-1680, exhibition catalogue, Vienna 2002, pp. 286-7, no. 95).
2. See K. Ertz, Jan Brueghel the Younger, Freren 1984, pp. 427-431, nos. 264-270.