24 - School of Rembrandt van Rijn

School of Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606-1669) The Head of Saint John the Baptist Carried on a Plate to Herod ink and wash on paper sheet: 6 3/4 x 9 in. (17.1 x 22.9 cm) Property from the Estate of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II, Rhode Island This lot is located in Philadelphia. Framed: 16 x 18 1/2 x 1 in. Work is attached to back mat via adhesive along top edge.** Soft handling creases, notable at top edges. Skinning to verso along lower edge. Additional images available upon request. Provenance: Sotheby's, New York, sale of January 30, 2019, Lot 85. Lot Note: Over the course of his career, Rembrandt is believed to have taught at least fifty students, possibly more. Of these, only a relatively small number are known today as distinct artistic personalities, leaving a considerable body of drawings from his circle that cannot be definitively attributed to an individual hand. The present sheet is one such example. Its execution on fine oriental paper, a support used with some frequency by Rembrandt and Jan Lievens but less commonly by their pupils and contemporaries, may prove significant in establishing its authorship. The exclusive use of black ink and grey wash is also noteworthy, as drawings by artists in Rembrandt’s circle more typically incorporate brown pigments. Despite the uncertainty surrounding its attribution, the drawing demonstrates considerable technical ability. Its unconventional treatment of a familiar biblical subject further suggests an artist of notable confidence and originality.