A still life with birds, rabbits and vegetables, with a plate and a tazza with grapes

Dr. Hella Robels confirmed the attribution to Snyders in a letter to the previous owner dated 20 March 1992. Dr Robels notes that the drawing is connected to a painting by Snyders dated 1613 and formerly in the collection of Dr J.A. van Dobgen in Amsterdam (H. Robels, Frans Snyders, Munich, 1989, no. 113). Approximately thirty drawigs of still-lives by Snyders are known, almost all of which relate very closely to paintings. It has been suggested that these may in fact be ricordi made after the paintings rather than studies made in preparation. However, differences between the present drawing and the related painting, notably the adjusted proportions of the painting which cut out the vine leaf to the left, the arrangements of the tendrils, the position of the tazza and the replacement of berries by shrimps, all suggest that the drawing is indeed a preparatory work.