Old Master and British Works on Paper

Old Master and British Works on Paper

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 165. Study For Horatius Cocles Defending the Sublican Bridge.

Hieronymus Francken II

Study For Horatius Cocles Defending the Sublican Bridge

Lot Closed

January 26, 08:31 PM GMT

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Hieronymus Francken II

Antwerp 1578 - 1623

Study For Horatius Cocles Defending the Sublican Bridge


Pen and brown ink and wash over traces of black chalk;

bears chalk and ink offset swirls, verso, from previous backing

205 by 320 mm; 8⅛ by 12½ in.

With the Folio Society Collectors' Corner (as Roman School, 16th Century), Stock
No. D3740;
Private Collection, U.K.;
Sale, Derby, U.K., Bamfords Auctioneers & Valuers, 24 March 2021, Lot
288 (as Italian Old Master School)

This lively and dynamic drawing in pen and ink and wash is a rediscovered study for Hieronymus Francken’s painting, executed in 1620 for the Serment de Escrimeurs of Antwerp, and now in the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp.1


Drawings by Francken are rare, and due to his close collaboration with other artists, it is not always easy to identify his hand, creating difficulties when attributing the works on paper. The emergence of the present sheet is therefore an important addition to the small corpus of works fully attributable to the younger Francken.


The historical subject, Horatius Cocles Defending the Sublican Bridge, was popular with artists; drawn versions by Sir Anthony Van Dyck are at Chatsworth and an oil painting by Charles Le Brun is at The Dulwich Picture Gallery.


1. Hieronymus Francken II, Horatius Cocles Defending the Sublican Bridge, The Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp (inv. no. 163)