Lot 32: Constantijn van Renesse , Maarssen 1626 - 1680 Eindhoven head and shoulders study of a bearded old man Pen and brown ink and wash over black, red and yellow chalks

Pen and brown ink and wash over black, red and yellow chalks

measurements note 127 by 96 mm; the upper corners cut

W. Sumowski, Drawings of the Rembrandt School, vol. 9, New York 1985, pp. 4870-1, cat. no. 2168aυx

Jonathan Richardson Senior (L.2183);
with C.G. Boerner, Düsseldorf;
sale, Amsterdam, Sotheby Mak van Waay, 25 April 1983 (as Attributed to Renesse);
sale, Amsterdam, Christie's, 25 November 1991, lot 74;
Jacobus A. Klaver, Amsterdam

PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE JACOBUS A. KLAVER, AMSTERDAM
Sumowski dates this drawing circa 1650-55, and relates it to works by Renesse such as The Angel warns Joseph to flee to Egypt, and the study of a Bearded old man with cap in half-length in the British Museum.υ1 He notes, however, that Jaap Bolten believes the drawing to be by Rembrandt's cousin and pupil, Karel van der Pluym. Indeed, the drawing does appear to relate to that artist's painted work, in particular the Pensive Scholar, a similarly composed study of a man whose physiognomy is very close to the subject of this drawing.υ2 Parallels may also be drawn in the softness of approach and the delicate lighting of each work, which casts the man's face into half shadow. Nevertheless, as Sumowski emphasises, it is harder to find a connection with any of the very small number of drawings that can be convincingly given to Van der Pluym. 1. See Sumowski, op.cit., nos. 2167υx and 2168υx 2. W. Sumowski, Gemälde der Rembrandt-Schüler, vol. IV, Landau 1983, p. 2380, cat. no. 1598