Catharina Backer

Vice Admiral Leendert Brouwer, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy (1909–1991);

Thence by inheritance to his wife, Emily Brouwer Dommering (1914–2005), The Hague;

Thence by inheritance to Paul Reitze Brouwer, HM Ambassador (1940–2009);

Private collection;

Whence sold, 's-Hertogenbosch, Korst van der Hoeff, 9–13 February 2026, lot 1612;

Where acquired.

W. Fock, 'De stillevens van Catharina Backer of de verdrijving van de melancholie', in Leids Jaarboekje, 1980, p. 86, Appendix II, no. 3.

Catharina Backer was the daughter of the wealthy lawyer Willem Cornelisz. Backer (1656–1731), a member of a prominent Amsterdam family, and Magdalena de la Court (1662–1712), daughter of the renowned Leiden cloth manufacturer Pieter de la Court (1618–85). On 25 August 1711, she married the merchant and art collector Allard de la Court (1688–1755) of Leiden; together they inherited one of the most impressive art collections in the Northern Netherlands. This included still lifes by Rachel Ruysch (1664–1750),¹ which shaped Catharina's artistic practice. She also received painting lessons in the studio of Justus I Van Huysum (1659–1716) and his son Jan van Huysum (1682–1749).

Only eleven paintings by Backer are recorded, described in an inventory from 1749 (see Literature). Ten are flower still lifes – this painting is the only fruit still life associated with the artist.

¹ See, for example, London, Sotheby's, 3 July 2013, lot 29; https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/old-master-british-paintings-evening-l13033/lot.29.html