Pieter Dircksz. van Santvoort (Amsterdam circa 1604-1635)

The present drawing is very comparable in handling with the Wooded landscape with a bridge, datable to 1620-25, in the Fondation Custodia (Dessins de paysagistes hollandais du XVIIe siècle, exhib. cat., Brussels, Bibliothèque Albert 1er, and other locations, 1968-69, no. 134, pl. 40). In both instances Santvoort uses a broad, fluid line and freely-applied wash to add tone and depth to the composition. There are comparable drawings in Weimar (Goethe & Rembrandt: Tekeningen uit Weimar, exhib. cat., Amsterdam, Rembrandthuis, 1999, pp. 107-9, two illustrated), and another similar drawing, also dated '1623' was sold at Christie's, Amsterdam, 12 November 1990, lot 30.