Lot Essay
At the time of the 2006 sale (loc. cit.), Dr. Luuk Pijl confirmed the attribution of the present work to Ryckaert. Dr. Pijl dated the picture to circa 1615-20, on the basis of strong similarities with a smaller panel in a private collection, Madrid (see the exhibition catalogue, Pedro Pablo Rubens (1577-1640), Madrid, Palacio de Velazquez, 1977-8, no. 126, illustrated), as well as with another picture in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence, dated 1616 (Rubens e la pittura fiamminga del Seicento nelle collezioni pubbliche fiorentine, Florence, Palazzo Pitti, 1977, no. 106, illustrated).