A Hamlet near a Stream with two Figures on a Bridge

Dr. Hans-Ulrich Beck has confirmed the attribution, noting that the present drawing belongs to the group of very rare early landscape drawings of the same format, Jan van Goyen 1596-1656, Amsterdam, I, 1972, nos. 31a-45, and Jan van Goyen 1596-1656, Doornspijk, III, 1987, pp. 29-33. Dr. Beck published these as part of a sketchbook which he dates to circa 1629-31. Only a few of these are signed with initials, and none are dated. One (Beck, op. cit., no. 72) was sold in these Rooms, 12 November 1990, lot 72, illustrated. All of them are drawn in pen and brown ink, only a few with grey wash. Their handling still illustrates the strong influence of Jan van Goyen's master in the preceding years, Esaias van de Velde (1587-1630). At the same time they already announce the development towards his much freer way of drawing in the 1650s, as is well shown in the following lots.
Christiaan Josi (before 1765-1828) was an art dealer in Amsterdam and London, and one of the main buyers at the Ploos van Amstel sale in Amsterdam in March 1800. It is known that Thomas Thane (1782-1846) was a regular buyer of drawings for Esdaile, who also owned one other drawing from this series (Beck, op. cit., 1972, no. 17.). Dr. Beck points out that the drawing of a Horse Fair by P.C. la Fargue which was in the same lot as the present drawing in the Esdaile sale was sold at Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 18 November 1980, lot 206, illustrated.