Lot Essay
The identity of the sitter was established by F.G.L.O. van Kretschmar (letter to the present owner of 11 Feb. 1981). Gerbrand de Vicq (Amsterdam 11 Feb. 1674 - Hoorn 21 Nov. 1712) was the third son of François de Vicq, Councillor, Alderman, Burgomaster and Sheriff of Amsterdam, and Aletta Pancras. Gerbrand himself had a distinguished career, becomeing Secretary of the city of Hoorn in 1699, Councillor in 1702 and subsequently Burgomaster, and a Director of the East India Company in 1703. He married as his first wife on 17 August 1698 Agatha van Neck (1678-1705) and was the founder of the Bredehoff de Vicq branch of the family, in whose possession the present picture remained until 1980.
Maes painted several portraits of children as Ganymede, both individually and within family groups (see W. Sumowski, Gemálde der Rembrandt-Shüler, III, 1983, pls.1423, 1424, 1442, 1443 and 1446).
In one of these (pl. 1424) the pose of the child and the eagle correspond closely with the present picture but in reverse. Sumowski suggests (idem, p. 2033) that the portrayal of a child as Ganymede indicates that he had died in infancy, a theory which would seem to be disproved by the present picture.
Maes painted several portraits of children as Ganymede, both individually and within family groups (see W. Sumowski, Gemálde der Rembrandt-Shüler, III, 1983, pls.1423, 1424, 1442, 1443 and 1446).
In one of these (pl. 1424) the pose of the child and the eagle correspond closely with the present picture but in reverse. Sumowski suggests (idem, p. 2033) that the portrayal of a child as Ganymede indicates that he had died in infancy, a theory which would seem to be disproved by the present picture.