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02 pre view. 6 1 Merry company Jan Steen, who is documented as a member of the Guild of St Luke in 1648, received extensive training from var- ious important artists of his time. The Dutchman is par- ticularly appreciated for his realistically painted genre scenes. The cheerfully celebrating company in front of a rural inn is a typical example of his work. As his father ran a brewery and inn, and Steen himself later worked in this trade, the artist must have been well-acquainted with the sometimes coarse merriment of pubs. Jan Steen (1626–1678). A merry company in front of an inn. Oil on panel. 40.4 × 50 cm. Estimate: CHF 60 000/100 000. 2 Country fair Marten van Cleve, a master in the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp, specialised in rural genre and landscape scenes. Depictions of the fair on St George’s feast day were among the most popular subjects in 16 th -century Flemish painting. People gathered for this festival of the patron saint to eat, dance and compete in all kinds of contests. The composition of the present work contains numerous figures, and its slight bird's-eye view is bor- rowed from Pieter Bruegel the Elder. This high-quality depiction of the village fair with its wealth of detail is an outstanding example of van Cleve's art. Marten van Cleve the Elder (1527–1581). Villagers celebrating the feast of Saint George. Oil on panel. 76 × 107 cm. Estimate: CHF 250 000/350 000 3 Flower power Around 1656/57, the seventeen-year-old Flemish artist Nicolaes van Verendael joined the Antwerp Guild of St Luke as a free master. Shortly afterwards, he was rec- ognised as one of the most important painters of floral still lifes. His paintings are characterised by the finest de- tails, for which the artist was admired and his works were collected. The still life in our September auction shows his characteristic floral splendour in vibrant colours. Sty- listically, van Verendael was influenced by Jan Davidsz de Heem and Daniel Seghers, two of the leading Antwerp flower painters of the time. Nicolaes van Verendael (1640–1691). Floral bouquet in a glass vase with butterfly, caterpillar and snail. Oil on copper. 41.5 × 31.5 cm. Estimate: CHF 70 000/100 000 1 2 3