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Lot Essay
We are grateful to Dr. Ursula Härting for confirming the attribution from a transparency (private communication, 30 September, 2003).
The present composition is one of several versions by Francken II. The prime one is generally thought to be the signed painting in the Prado, Madrid. Other versions have appeared on the market, most recently one sold at Sotheby's, London, 14 December 2000, lot 113 (£97,000). The Prado picture differs from the others in several of the details, notably in the pose of the dog and the trees in the background. The present work differs from both the Prado and the Sotheby's paintings in its vertical format.
The present composition is one of several versions by Francken II. The prime one is generally thought to be the signed painting in the Prado, Madrid. Other versions have appeared on the market, most recently one sold at Sotheby's, London, 14 December 2000, lot 113 (£97,000). The Prado picture differs from the others in several of the details, notably in the pose of the dog and the trees in the background. The present work differs from both the Prado and the Sotheby's paintings in its vertical format.