Adam Pynacker

In the family of the artist and thence by descent;
By whom sold, New York, Christie's, 27 January 2000, lot 201;
There purchased by the present collector.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This painting needs to be properly restored. At present the canvas is lined and adhered with wax. The retouches have discolored, particularly in the landscape, and if the restoration were to be reexamined the condition would be considerably improved. There are a few dots of retouch in the animals themselves but except for a few spots in the distant landscape, which are all visible to the naked eye, there are no other retouches. In the sky there are some retouches addressing losses in the center and in other areas in the sky but these restorations are broadly applied and without question with a fresh approach, the amount of actual retouching would be greatly reduced.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Though not included in her 1988 monograph, the present work was examined by Dr. Laurie Harwood who confirmed the attribution to Pynacker prior to its last sale in 2000. 

The motif of the collapsing bridge, with the young man, frightened donkey and rearing horse is a slight variation of the central scene in Pynacker's Landscape with a Collapsing Bridge, dated 1659 and now in the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlung, Munich (inv. no. 773).