José Antolinez Madrid 1635 - 1675

This appears to be a preparatory study by Antolínez for an untraced final work. The handling and composition can be compared closely to the artist's painting, signed and dated 1667, representing The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, today in the Museo Cerralbo, Madrid (see D. Angulo Iñiguez, José Antolínez, Madrid 1957, p. 29, reproduced plate 39). The free handling and cool colour tones are entirely characteristic of Antolínez's mature work and reflect the influence of paintings by Rubens and the Venetian colourists present in the Spanish Royal Collection in Madrid.

The attribution to José Antolínez has been endorsed by Professor Alfonso Pérez Sánchez, following first hand inspection.