.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Dr. Hans-Ulrich Beck, who has seen the original, has suggested that this may be a counterpart to a drawing of comparable format and subject and of the same year, in the Louvre, Paris (H.-U. Beck, Jan van Goyen, 1596-1656, Doornspijk, III, 1987, no. 280, illustrated). Dr. Beck has observed that the brown wash in the present drawing is comparable to that in the Louvre sheet, but is not sure if the refined, cautiously applied watercolour is autograph or possibly a later addition by another hand. Van Goyen is known to have used watercolour in some of his drawings, especially early on in his career (see for example Beck, op. cit., 1972, nos. 57-8) and could have added the watercolour in the present lot on the request of a collector.
The present lot may be based on the artist's sketches of a similar village harbour in the Dresden Album of circa 1648, Beck, op. cit., 1972, nos. 846/106 and 125, illustrated. The early 1650s were very productive years for Van Goyen, when he made many large, highly finished, signed and dated drawings intended for collectors. These were either topographically correct views or compositions assembled from the various sketches he did on his journeys through Holland and abroad, depicting the distinctive Dutch countryside, often combined with everyday peasant's business.
The present lot may be based on the artist's sketches of a similar village harbour in the Dresden Album of circa 1648, Beck, op. cit., 1972, nos. 846/106 and 125, illustrated. The early 1650s were very productive years for Van Goyen, when he made many large, highly finished, signed and dated drawings intended for collectors. These were either topographically correct views or compositions assembled from the various sketches he did on his journeys through Holland and abroad, depicting the distinctive Dutch countryside, often combined with everyday peasant's business.