Willem van Oordt Active Amsterdam, circa 1640-50

This belongs to a stylistically consistent group of drawings, which have generally been attributed to Jan Pynas or his circle, or to artists such as Knupfer or Honthorst (the present sheet was formerly given to all three of these artists).  P.Dirkse has, however, convincingly demonstrated that they must in fact be by the little-known Willem van Oordt: see P.Dirkse, 'Christus en de hoofdman van Kapernaüm, een tekening door W. van Oordt van bijzonder documentair belang,' in Catharijnebrief, vereiniging Vrienden van het Catherijneconvent, 60, December 1997, pp.11-16).  Other drawings from this group include the sheet that was the subject of Dirkse's article (sold, in these Rooms, 12 November 1996, lot 245, as Circle of Jan Pynas), and another, formerly in the van Leeuwen collection (sold, Amsterdam, Christie's, 24 November 1992, lot 162, as Circle of Jacob Pynas).