DAVID TENIERS THE YOUNGER, AFTER GUIDO RENI | SUSANNAH AND THE ELDERS

A copy by Teniers after a painting by Reni originally in the Imperial Collection, Vienna, which has been lost since the late 18th century.

This little copper was produced as part of Teniers' Theatrum Pictorum, the first catalogue of a picture collection ever to be illustrated and printed, which Teniers produced with a view to acquaint the educated public with works of art from the princely collection of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm, governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1646–56. With one exception, Teniers painted small copies of the 243 original paintings selected for the catalogue, which served as modelli for the engravings of the same dimensions.

Please note that this painting has been requested by the Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, for an exhibition taking place in 2020.

1 See T. van Kessel et al., David Teniers [...] Theatrum Pictorium [...], Antwerp 1683, p. 582, reproduced p. 48