Grey wash and brush, some scratching out, watermark fools1 cap with initial, pen and grey ink framing lines

283 x 406 mm. (11 1/8 x 16 in.)

It is possible that this drawing dates from Antoine Waterloos trip to the city of Danzig in Germany around 1660, and is close stylistically and in subject matter to a number of drawings from this journey2. The port of Danzig had close relations to cities in Holland, and Waterloo is thought to have traveled there by sea, as well as to visit the monastery of Olivia near Danzig. In 1660 peace had been declared between Prussia and Poland. The drawing also comes close compositionally to a number of his etchings3.

Jacob de Vos came from a family of noted collectors. His collection comprised mainly of drawings, some of which he, or his father, bought at the famous 1833 sale of his great uncle, Jacob de Vos the elder (1735-1831), through the dealer de Vries. This was to form the base of his collection. De Vos was to benefit from the numerous famous dispersal of collections during his lifetime, such as Lawrence, Esdaile, and Six amongst others. The main part of the youngers collection consisted of 17th Century Dutch drawings, however he did also buy some paintings from his contemporaries, such as Rosa Bonheur, Delacroix, Bosboom. His collection was sold in 1883 in Amsterdam.

The attribution has been confirmed by Martin Royalton-Kisch. He has suggested that the drawing may date from his early period and could have been drawn in Holland.

The condition of the drawing is excellent.

1.Comparable to a watermark on another Landscape by Waterloo in the Maida and George Abrams Collection, W.W. Robinson, Breugel to Rembrandt, Dutch and Flemish Drawings from the Maida and George Abrams Collection, Cambridge, 2002, p.276 no.72.

2.L. and W. Strubbe, Um 1660 auf Reisen gezeichnet, Anthoine Waterloo 1610-1690, Hamburg, 1983, plates 38,44,48 and 57.

3.Antoine Waterloo, New Illustrated Bartsch, plates 86,87,99,109 and 117.