Lot 85: The Temptation of Saint Anthony: A diablerie

Andries Dirksz. Both (Utrecht 1612-1641 Venice) The Temptation of Saint Anthony: A diablerie pen and brown ink, pen and brown ink framing lines 7 1/8 x 11 in. (182 x 279 mm.)

Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, New York, 13 January 1989, lot 28.

Both, the son of a glass painter, was trained in Utrecht under Abraham Bloemaert. However, this unusual drawing is strongly influenced by similar diableries executed by Jacques de Gheyn who was working in Haarlem before Both was born. Two other drawings by Both of similar dimensions and style, Saint John the Baptist Preaching and A Peasant Interior, are in the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin. Another, Satire on the Medical Profession: A diablerie was sold at Sotheby's, New York, 23 January 2001, lot 147.
Both died in Venice: returning from festivities he fell into a canal and was drowned.