Jacob Adriaensz. Backer (Harlingen 1608-1653 Amsterdam)

A kneeling woman

Details

Jacob Adriaensz. Backer (Harlingen 1608-1653 Amsterdam)
A kneeling woman
with inscription 'J. de Bakker.'
black and white chalk, grey wash, on grey-blue paper, brown ink framing lines
12 1/8 x 7 7/8 in. (30.7 x 20 cm.)

Provenance

Vincent van Gogh (1866-1911), the cousin of the artist; R.W.P. de Vries, Amsterdam, 2-3 December 1913, lot 22.
Probably with Prouté, Paris; from whom purchased in March 1922 by I.Q. van Regteren Altena for 2 guilders (Inventory book: '80. t. J. Backer model').

Literature

I.Q. van Regteren Altena, 'Een vroeg meesterwerk van Jacob Backer', Oud Holland, XLII, 1925, p. 146.
K. Bauch, Jakob Adriaensz Backer: ein Rembrandtschüler aus Friesland, Berlin, 1926, p. 106, no. 47.
W. Sumowski, Drawings of the Rembrandt School, New York, 1979, I, no. 33x.

Exhibited

Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Paris, Fondation Custodia, and Brussels, Bibliothèque Albert 1er, Le Cabinet d’un Amateur: Dessins flamands et hollandais des XVIe et XVIIe siècles d’une collection privée d’Amsterdam, 1976-77, no. 9, pl. 83 (catalogue by J. Giltaij).
Amsterdam, Museum Het Rembrandthuis and Aachen, Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Jacob Backer (1608/9-1651): Rembrandts tegenpool, 2008-09, no. 47 (catalogue entry by M. Kersten).

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Lot Essay

Backer executed a number of figure studies in black and white chalk on blue paper, similar in style to those by his associate Govert Flinck (1615-1660). The present drawing, which can probably be dated to around 1643, shows a model who appears wearing the same costume in at least two other figure studies by Backer: the Woman with her hand resting on a jug in the British Museum (Sumowski, op. cit., no. 29x) and the Standing woman in a private American collection (Sumowski, op. cit., no. 26x).

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