The collector James Staats Forbes possessed over 3000 nineteenth Century pictures. One third of his collection included works by the masters of the so-called Hague School.
He owned several paintings by B.J. Blommers, A. Mauve, H.W. Mesdag and the brothers Maris.
Josef Israels however was, by far, his favorite artist.
He once said:"I cannot resist an Israels".
When he died in 1904 he had about 180 watercolours, drawings and pictures by Josef Israels in his possession, probably including the present lot

See illustration