Frans Boels

Little has been published on the works of Frans Boels, who was the stepson and pupil of Hans Bol, but Stefaan Hautekeete, who is currently compiling a catalogue raisonné of Bol's drawings, has made a parallel study of the gouaches of Boels, many of whose unsigned works have, like the present example, been traditionally attributed to Hans Bol. Indeed, their compositions are often closely related to those of drawings or gouaches by Bol, but comparison with the small handful of signed works by Boels, such as the previous lot, clearly supports an attribution to the younger master. 

In this case, no directly corresponding work by Bol is known, although a gouache depicting the same biblical subject, but in a different landscape setting, was formerly on the art market.¹ 

We are grateful to Stefaan Hautekeete for kindly proposing the attribution to Frans Boels.

1. Sale, London, Sotheby's, 3 July 2013, lot 4