Lord Ashburnham (according to a label on the reverse);
Thadée Joseph Antoine Hyacinthe van Saceghem (1767-1852), Ghent;
His sale, Brussels, Le Roy, 2 June 1851, lot 69, for 1,400 Francs;
Christophe van Loo, Ghent (his wax seal affixed to the reverse);
His posthumous sale, Paris, Le Roy, 25 May 1881, lot 19, for 9,100 Francs;
Eugène Secrétan (1836-99), Paris;
With Charles Sedelmeyer, Paris, by 1895 (not included in the Secrétan auction at Sedelmeyer Galleries, 1 July 1889);
Albert Lehmann, Paris;
His sale, Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, 12 June 1925, lot 268;
With Alfred Brod, London, by 1958;
Julius Löwenstein, London;
With Gebr. Douwes, Amsterdam, by 2002.

London, Alfred Brod Gallery, Annual spring exhibition of old masters. Dutch and Flemish paintings from 1490-1710, 11 April - 10 May 1958, no. 14.

C. Sedelmeyer, Catalogue of the second hundred of paintings by old masters, 1895, p. 31, cat. no. 26, reproduced;
C. Hofstede de Groot, A catalogue raisonné..., vol. VII, London 1923, p. 358, cat. no. 116;
W. Schulz, Aert van der Neer, Doornspijk 2002, p. 412, cat. no. 1146, reproduced in colour, plate 60 and fig. 129.

The panel has been cradled, the paint surface is clean, and the varnish is clear and relatively even. The warmth of the ground layer has been used to great effect beneath the glazes in the sky, and small areas of impasto, such as the light around the setting sun behind the buildings, centre, in the highlights on the architecture, centre left, and in the foreground, lower left, are very well-preserved. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals sensitive retouching to an old horizontal partial split in the centre of the panel, running approx. 20 cm. from the right margin. There are also minor spot retouchings scattered in the sky, and a slightly more concentrated patch in the centre, approx. 2 by 3 cm., but otherwise there is very little intervention. In overall very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."