Lot Essay
The attribution of the present painting to Cornelis van Haarlem was made by Drs. S.J. Gudlaugsson and H. Gerson of the RKD (correspondence, 25 July 1961). On the basis of photographs, Pieter J.J. van Thiel has confirmed the painting to be an autograph work of the artist dating to circa 1588-92 (written communication to the present owner, 17 April 2006), noting that this composition may be compared to the artist's studies of heads with forceful facial expressions of that period.