Johann König Nuremberg 1586 - 1642

This appears to be a unique example of a collaboration between Johann König and Cornelis van Poelenburch or an artist completely rooted in Poelenburch's style.  The figures are too far removed from König's own staffage for them to be an excercise by him in Poelenburch's manner. Although the last two digits of the date have yet to be clearly read, this copper must date from after König's return to Germany in 1614, when he settled in Augsburg.  He is known to have visited Nuremberg, but there is no evidence that he ever visited the Netherlands, nor are we aware that Poelenburch or any of his close followers visited South Germany in König's lifetime.  On the evidence of the present picture, however, one of the above seems to have occurred.  The most likely explanation is that Poelenburch passed through Augsburg on his return from Rome to Utrecht in 1625, and that this collaborative work was painted then.  According to Alan Chong, however, to whom we are grateful, there are instances of pictures being sent to Poelenburch for their staffage to be added.