WILLEM VAN MIERIS | Cephalus and Procris

A.W.M. Mensing, Amsterdam, his sale, Amsterdam, Mensing, 27 April 1937, lot 451 ('Scène mythologique. Nymphe touchée par une flèche et secourue par son amant. Signé et daté: 1730', 320 x 395 mm, for fl. 32);
with Jean Willems, Brussels, 1968

Hinged to the mount at the upper margin. Vellum has buckled and there are numerous creases in the sheet, most notably in the right section of the sheet at upper and lower margins. There are a number of small brown stains scattered throughout, barely visible. Some remnants of glue in at the upper margin towards the left corner. Black chalk remains fairly strong despite these condition issues. Sold unframed.
"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."

Van Mieris executed a painting of the same subject in 1702, now in the Gemäldegalerie, Dresden.  Van Mieris regularly repeated subjects throughout his career and produced works in various media.  Albert J. Elen, writing in Master Drawings in 2012, divides Van Mieris's drawings into three groups: preliminary studies, mainly in black chalk, some on blue paper; finished drawings made for sale, mainly in black chalk on vellum; and documentary drawings which were rough sketches recording paintings he was working on.¹  The present work clearly fits into the second category of finished drawings, and this is a fine large example of the artist's works of this type in black chalk on vellum. We are grateful to Albert Elen for informing us about the provenance of the drawing, and for observing that the date of 1730 is in some ways surprising, as the related painting was already in Dresden by 1722.

^1. 'Additions to Willem van Mieris's Rape of Luretia: An Example of the Artist's Working Methods', Master Drawings, vol. 50, no. 4 (2012), p. 533