Willem van Herp the Elder Antwerp 1614(?) - 1677

Willem van Herp the Elder was recorded as a pupil of the relatively unknown Antwerp painter Hans Biermans, and became master of the local St. Luke Guild in 1636/7. Around 1650 he was associated with the Antwerp dealer M. Musson, for whom he retouched copies after Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Van Herp also collaborated with other artists, such as Jacques d'Arthois (1613-1686), Dirck van Delen (c.1605-1671) and David Teniers the Younger (1610-1690), painting staffage in their works. 

He was however best known for his elaborate genre scenes, and also for historical paintings which were in the past often misattributed to Rubens, such as the present work. Several lesser unsigned versions of the present composition are recorded in the R.K.D., such as the one sold Stockholm, Bukowski, 26 November 1992, lot 199.