Lot 113
  • 113

GERBRAND VAN DEN EECKHOUT | Head of a man in a turban

Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Gerbrand van den Eeckhout
  • Head of a man in a turban
  • Pen and brown ink and wash, on paper washed brown
  • 63 by 103 mm

Condition

Laid down. Loss to lower left corner. Further small losses and tears in various places at edges. Stained in top left corner. Some unevenness and abrasions to paper surface.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Though clearly a fragment of a larger sheet, this spirited profile study of the head of a classic Rembrandtesque 'oriental' can be related to the drawings produced by the master and his pupils in the mid and late 1630s.  Martin Royalton-Kisch has kindly pointed out the very close analogies between the pen and wash technique seen here, and that of a drawing of a Group of Three Figures (Scribes?), in an American private collection, a drawing that was published as Rembrandt by Benesch1, but is now considered a characteristic work of Gerbrand van den Eeckhout, who studied with Rembrandt towards the end of the 1630s.2  In both drawings, the artist has also used paper toned with brown wash.  This drawing would therefore seem to be an interesting addition to the corpus of early studies made by Eeckhout while he was still in Rembrandt's studio. 1.  O. Benesch, The Drawings of Rembrandt, rev. ed., 6 vols, London 1973, vol. I, p. 27, no. 88, repr. fig. 101
2.  H. Bevers, 'Early, Rembrandtesque Drawings by Gerbrand van den Eeckhout', Master Drawings, vol. XXLVIII, 2010, pp. 53-54, repr. fig.17