Friedrich Brentel

Sold mounted in carved wooden frame. Not seen out of frame. Each appears to be laid down on panel. There is some slight abrasion at the edges of some scenes, and one (The crowning with thorns) has a small hole in the upper right corner. Otherwise the condition seems to be fine, and the gouache is beautifully strong and fresh.
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.
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Friedrich Brentel trained as an engraver, but became one of the most important painters, draughtsmen and printmakers working in 17th-Century Strasbourg.  With the help of a successful workshop and his most famous pupil, Johann Wilhelm Baur, Brentel established the city as the leading centre for the painting of miniatures.  While he did produce many gouaches with his own compositions, Brentel also made numerous miniature replicas of paintings or prints by contemporary artists such as Bruegel, Rubens and Van Dyck.

The present series derives from Jacques Callot's twelve etchings, The Small Passion, dated circa 1623.¹  Brentel's gouaches are almost identical in size to the prints, but in some cases he enhanced the compositions, such as the first scene, The Washing of the Feet, in which he added an arch to the foreground to frame the composition.  The small scale of the gouaches indicates that they were intended for private devotional use, perhaps for a small family chapel or oratory.  The scenes were drawn not long after Callot's death in 1635; it is interesting to note that whilst most are dated 1639, three are from the previous year.  A comparable series by Brentel was sold in Amsterdam, Christie's, 10 November 1999, lot 477; there, the gouaches were dated 1636 and 1638, which could imply that the scenes from both sets were once in fact part of different series. 

1. See J. Lieure, J. Callot, Paris 1927, vol, II, pp.50-1, cat. nos. 537-548