Lot 149: Adam Willaerts (London 1577-1664 Utrecht)

Adam Willaerts (London 1577-1664 Utrecht) View of Gibraltar signed with initials 'A.W., with inscription 'Gibralter' and with further inscription 'gibralter by hispanien door Willaarts' (verso) black chalk, pen and black ink, grey, brown and blue wash, black ink framing lines 10 5/8 x 16 3/8 in. (26.8 x 41.5 cm.)

26.8 x 41.5 cm.

Amsterdam, Koninklijk Oudheidkundig Genootschap, Hoe Hollandse teekenaars Rome zagen 1500-1840, 1940 (no catalogue published). Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Paris, Fondation Custodia, and Brussels, Bibliothèque Albert 1er, Le Cabinet d'un Amateur: Dessins flamands et hollandais des XVIe et XVIIe siècles d'une collection privée d'Amsterdam, 1976-77, no. 158, pl. 56 (catalogue by J. Giltaij).

Jan Schouten; Mak van Waay, Amsterdam, 20 September 1938, lot 497. C.P. van Eeghen; by whom presented as a gift to I.Q. van Regteren Altena.

A similar view of Gibraltar appears in the background of three of Willaerts's paintings, but in closest relationship to the present drawing is the landscape shown in The Victory over the Spanish near Gibraltar by a fleet commanded by Admiral Jacob van Heemskerck on 25 April 1607, painted in 1617 (Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; Fig. 1). A stylistically comparable drawing, showing a View of Tripoli, was sold at Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 5 November 2002, lot 102. Fig. 1. Adam Willaerts, The Victory over the Spanish near Gibraltar, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum.