German School, Early 17th Century

Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. (1792-1872);
by inheritance to his grandson, Thomas Fitzroy Phillipps Fenwick (1856-1938);
sold from his estate to Lionel Robinson, Esq.;
thence by inheritance to the present owners

We are grateful to Huigen Leeflang, of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, for pointing out that this drawing is loosely derived from the large print of the same subject, designed by Hendrick Goltzius and engraved by Jacob Matham in 1592 (Bartsch (Matham) 3; New Hollstein (Matham) 194). The Goltzius/Matham print also inspired versions by Matthäus Merian, Romeyn de Hooghe and others, but the drawing is closer to Goltzius' version.  Although the actual figures and other compositional details are entirely different, the conception of the composition, and the iconography (a depiction of the progress of man's life, through trials, pleasures and torments, to ultimate salvation) are the same.