Abraham Bloemaert (Gorinchem 1564/66-1651 Utrecht)

The feet of the infant shown in the upper right quadrant of this sheet were engraved in a different arrangement by Frederick Bloemaert (1610-circa 1669) in his famous Teekenboek, published circa 1650 (see M. Roethlisberger, Abraham Bloemaert and his sons: paintings and prints, Ghent, 1993, I, no. T63, II, fig. T63). The other feet shown in the engraving were taken from a sheet of studies by Abraham from the so-called 'Cambridge Album' at the Fitzwilliam Museum (Inv. PD 166-1963; J. Bolten, Abraham Bloemaert c.1565-1651: The Drawings, Amsterdam, 2007, I, no. 1172, II, fig. 1172). Although Frederick usually followed his father's drawings from the 'Cambridge Album' quite closely in his prints, he did occasionally re-arrange these studies and, as is the case with the engraving for which he also used this drawing, added elements from other sheets.

We are grateful to Jaap Bolten for confirming the attribution to Abraham Bloemaert on the basis of a digital photograph. Jaap Bolten will include this drawing in his forthcoming addenda to the 2007 catalogue.