JOOST CORNELISZ. DROOCHSLOOT | Recto: Market scene in a town squareVerso: Landscape with a chapel

Herbert Girardet, Cologne

Sheet appears to have been cut down, and the corners are shaped. Window mounted. Some thin spots, top and bottom edges. Pinhole, lower centre. Repaired tear, centre of left edge. Somewhat browned overall. Small brown spot, lower centre. Nonetheless still very legible. Sold framed (CHECK)
"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."

This fascinating, double-sided sheet, with a detailed depiction of a lively market scene on the recto and a very free landscape sketch on the verso, is an extremely rare example of a drawing by Droochsloot, whose paintings are very familiar, but whose drawings are virtually unknown.  Only one signed drawing is recorded (a much smaller sheet, dated 1630, which was with Frye & Sohn, Münster, in 1992), and otherwise we only know the rather grand depiction of Peasants merrymaking before an inn, which was sold in Amsterdam in 2006.¹  The latter drawing is executed in the same combination of pen and brown ink and grey wash, though in that case heightened with white, and the figure types, approach to architecture and general use of the pen are extremely similar in both sheets.  Here, though, we also have the freely drawn black chalk elements in the rapid landscape sketch on the verso, which adds a significant aspect to what we know of Droochsloot's drawing style.   ^1.  Sale, Amsterdam, Sotheby's, 14 November 2006, lot 43