Lot 264
  • 264

Andries Both

Estimate
3,000 - 5,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Andries Both
  • Two characters from popular theatre: 'Nijkodemus' and 'Muyselaer the piper'
  • Pen and brown ink and wash;
    inscribed in brown ink, by each figure: Nijkodemus and Muijselaer den pijper Muijselaer;
    pasted to an album page; bears a long inscription in Italian in the margin, attributing the drawing to Callot, and giving a biography of that artist, inscribed with a poem in English, in the same hand, on the reverse of the sheet

Provenance

Chevalier de Damery (L. 2862);
sale, Amsterdam, Sotheby's, 15 November 1995, lot 28 (as Attributed to Andries Both);
sale, New York, Sotheby's, 26 January 2011, lot 617

Condition

As mentioned in description, the drawing is pasted at the edges to an old album sheet. There is some light foxing and some mild discolouration at the corners. A small loss above the lower right corner. The ink is slightly sunk in parts, but the image is still very strong.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

Andries Both's figure drawings normally contain at least some sort of reference to a setting for the figures depicted, but a drawing that is otherwise comparable in style was sold as Both, London, Sotheby's, 22 July 1965, lot 174.  There are also parallels with the monogrammed drawing of carousing peasants formerly in the Bûtot Collection,1 in which the rumbustious penmanship and parallel hatching are in contrast to the slightly more delicate execution typical of the artist's smaller figure studies.  The figures depicted must be characters in some popular play or festivity.

1. Sale, Amsterdam, Sotheby's, 16 November 1983, lot 89