Attributed to Salomon van Ruysdael

Otto Naumann, Ltd., New York (as Jan van Goyen)
Acquired from the above, 2005

Paper somewhat browned, especially at the edges. Small brown stain in sky, small repaired loss bottom center, and other minor losses at top and bottom edges.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Despite various recent exhibitions and studies of 17th century Dutch landscape drawings, the drawing style of Salomon van Ruysdael, one of the leading landscape painters of the period, remains relatively undefined.  With the exception of the underdrawings detectable in some of his paintings, no drawings can be unequivocally attributed to the artist, so attributions rest largely on comparisons with his paintings.  On this basis, the traditional attribution of the present drawing to Ruysdael, though hard to prove, should not be rejected out of hand, particularly since the style cannot easily be related to that of any of the other main artists who were producing paintings of this type of composition during the second quarter of the 17th century.