Follower of Adriaen van de Venne

Private collection, The Hague, 1982;
Thence by descent.

The panel is made up of three, uncradled, horizontal planks; the panel is stable and only marginally bowed. The varnish is even and slightly dirty. The joins in the panel are visible in the paint surface, as well as another surface crack just above centre, which extends about halfway along the panel from the right margin. Inspection under ultraviolet light reveals a milky varnish which fluoresces opaque. There is some retouching along the panel joins, and some strengthening in the ground below Prince Maurits. There is also some old strengthening in the sky, upper left, and in the tail of the brown horse in the foreground. In good overall condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This picture is after Van de Venne's small painting on copper, executed in 1621, now in the Hessisches Landesmuseum, Darmstadt, also engraved by Willem Jacobsz. Delff.¹ To the left of the scene, at the front of the cavalcade, are the Princes of Orange: Maurits (1567–1625) riding a spirited white horse, Philips Willem (1554–1618) and Frederik Hendrik (1584–1647). The heads of Willem Lodewijk (1560–1620), Johan Ernst (1582–1617) and Johan Lodewijk (1590–1653), Princes of Nassau, may also be identified. Many variant copies of this group are known, such as the large-scale painting in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam,² but compositions that include the figures to the right, with the Winter King and Queen, Fredrick V, Elector Palatine (1596–1632) and Elizabeth Stuart (1596–1662) are less common. 

1. See L.J. Bol, Adriaen Pietersz. Van de Venne, Doornspijk 1989, pp. 68-69, reproduced fig. 58, p. 68.
2. Inv. no. A445; see Department of paintings of the Rijksmuseum, All the paintings of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1976, p. 567, cat. no. A445, reproduced.