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Lot Essay
The identity of this remarkable and enigmatic Rembrandt follower is yet to be discovered. His artistic name was first established by von Frimmel who assembled a small group of works which are signed with the monogram 'IS' (see von Frimmel, 'Von Monogrammisten IS', Blättern für Gemäldekunde, I, 1904, pp. 132-133). His oeuvre appears to consist mostly of bust-length figures of old men and women (Old woman with turban; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), half-length figures in an interior with still life elements (for example sold at Sotheby's, London, 26 April 2001, lot 48, £1465,500=$210,277) and tavern scenes and kitchen still lifes (for example, A Dutch kitchen interior; National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin).
The present painting first came to the attention of Wilhelm von Bode, who in 1912, believed the painting to be by Rembrandt and dated it to the 1630s. Hofstede de Groot followed suit and agreed with von Bode. In 1948 the director of the Museum der Bildenden Künste, Breslau, Dr Erich Wiese, also agreed with von Bode and Hofstede de Groot. By 1952, the Director of the Mauritshuis, The Hague, A.B. de Vries, tentatively proposed a new attribution to Jacques des Rousseaux and in 1982 Sumowski published it as by Jacob van Spreeuwen (op. cit.).
The current attribution to the Monogrammist IS was most recently confirmed by B.J. Renckens of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, The Hague. He was considered at the RKD to be an authority on this artist and his work has now been archived by his successor J. Kosten, who also supports the attribution. Independently, Prof. Ernst van de Wetering also believes, from a color photograph, that the painting is by the Monogrammist IS (private communication, 5 December 2003).
The present painting first came to the attention of Wilhelm von Bode, who in 1912, believed the painting to be by Rembrandt and dated it to the 1630s. Hofstede de Groot followed suit and agreed with von Bode. In 1948 the director of the Museum der Bildenden Künste, Breslau, Dr Erich Wiese, also agreed with von Bode and Hofstede de Groot. By 1952, the Director of the Mauritshuis, The Hague, A.B. de Vries, tentatively proposed a new attribution to Jacques des Rousseaux and in 1982 Sumowski published it as by Jacob van Spreeuwen (op. cit.).
The current attribution to the Monogrammist IS was most recently confirmed by B.J. Renckens of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie, The Hague. He was considered at the RKD to be an authority on this artist and his work has now been archived by his successor J. Kosten, who also supports the attribution. Independently, Prof. Ernst van de Wetering also believes, from a color photograph, that the painting is by the Monogrammist IS (private communication, 5 December 2003).