Esther Reading the Royal Decree
ArtistCopy after
Salomon Koninck
Dutch, 1609–1656
Datemid-17th century or later
MediumOil on cradled panel
Dimensionsoverall: 31 5/8 × 23 3/8 in. (80.3 × 59.4 cm)
frame: 40 1/4 × 31 7/8 × 4 3/4 in. (102.2 × 81 × 12.1 cm)
frame: 40 1/4 × 31 7/8 × 4 3/4 in. (102.2 × 81 × 12.1 cm)
ClassificationsPaintings
Credit LineGift of Mrs. George Khuner
Object numberG.62.26.2
On View
Not on view[1] Stefan von Auspitz was director of the Österreichische Kreditnanstalt, Vienna. Following the bank’s failure in 1931, the Austrian government seized the bank and the personal property of its directors, including the large collection of paintings owned by Von Auspitz. The Dutch coal merchant, industrialist, and collector David George von Beuningen purchased von Auspitz’s collection of 2,143 paintings. After selecting what he wanted, Von Beuningen consigned the remainder to Bachstitz to sell. Within two years Bachstitz had sold 1,200 objects from the collection. All evidence indicates this painting was sold legally prior to the Nazi occupation and confiscation in 1938. Sophie Lillie, Was Einmal War, Vienna, 2003, p. 117, includes an inventory of the Auspitz collection in which this painting is no. 221. By writing the entry in italics she identifies it as having been sold legally prior to the Nazi occupation and confiscation in 1938. See also M. Chamot, “The von Auspitz Collection,” Country Life 72, no. 2 (1932), pp. 561–563; and Tancred Borenius, “Shorter Notices: The Stefan von Auspitz Collection,” Burlington Magazine 62 (1932), pp. 287–288.
[2] It is possible that Khuner acquired the painting in Europe, even in Vienna, prior to the war and held it in Switzerland. George Khuner was born in Vienna and with his brother Paul ran the firm Emanue l Khuner & Son, manufacturers of margarine. The brothers built up the business started by their grandfather and continued to work for it after it was sold to Unilever. Paul was the top financial adviser with activities concentrated in London. George was general manager of all European operations, with headquarters in Zurich. He and his wife also lived in Paris. In 1940 they left Paris and traveled via London to New York and eventually settled in Beverly Hills.
[3] The Khuners, who gave a number of paintings to the NCMA, probably knew Wilhelm Valentiner in Los Angeles and possibly earlier in Europe.
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