Lot Essay
Last published by Gammelbo in 1960 (loc. cit.), the present work joins six other pictures from 1646 (all on a horizontal format) listed by Vroom (N.R.A. Vroom, A Modest Message..., Schiedam, 1980, p. 32, nos. 127-132). In a letter of 6 August 1995 to the present owner, Dr. Martina Brunner-Bulst deemed the present picture one of the most beautiful works from the mature period ('sicher zu den schönsten Werken des Malers aus seiner reifen Schaffensphase gehört'), an observation that she has recently confirmed on the basis of a transparency. The picture will be included in her forthcoming catalogue raisonné of the artist's oeuvre due for publication towards the end of this year.