Circle of Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (Leiden 1606-1669 Amsterdam)

As noted by Otto Benesch, the rather calligraphic and schematic rendering of the landscape is close to that in a drawing by Rembrandt at the Albertina, Vienna (Benesch, op. cit., no. 1354, fig. 1668). Recently, Martin Royalton-Kisch observed that these drawings are rather closely related indeed, and that the present sheet can also be compared to a drawing in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (ibid., no. 1355, fig. 1669) which shows a similarly schematic approach to the architecture (written communication May 2019). He furthermore notes that the wash in the present sheet lacks the subtlety of that in those drawings, ruling out an attribution to Rembrandt.

We are grateful to Peter Schatborn and Martin Royalton-Kisch for their assistance in cataloguing this drawing.