Travellers by a lake with a cowherd and a horse and wagon on a road, anglers nearby, a town beyond; A cowherd conversing with a shepherdess at the foot of a blasted tree, travellers on a sandy track by a river beyond; A peasant woman returning from market on a road by a lake; Peasants resting on the side of a track overlooking a lake; and A shepherd and shepherdess at the foot of a tree watching a young horseman on a road, a traveller seated nearby overlooking a valley with a watermill

The attribution is based on comparison with the set of signed room decorations sold at Christie's New York, 12 January 1978, lots 144-146, with ill., which is the only recorded set by the artist (photographs in the RKD, The Hague). Little is known of the artist. For his activity in Amsterdam and that of other members of the Piera family see A.L. den Blaauwen, 'De porseleinschilder Pleun Piera (1737-1799)', Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum, 1991, pp.445-452. The present pictures, obviously originating from a house in one the 18th century Amsterdam canal mansions, were installed at van Eeghenstraat 112, Amsterdam in 1902. In this year F.L. Wurfbain moved from Keizersgracht 253 to this newly built house in the fashionable South quarters, but whether the set came from his Keizersgracht mansion is not known.

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