3613 - Eeckhout, Gerbrand van den

Eeckhout, Gerbrand van den (1621 Amsterdam 1674), attributed. Bust of an Oriental man. Ink brush drawing in brown on fine handmade paper. Dimensions approx. 8.1 x 6.0 cm. Bears a collector’s stamp in the lower right corner from ╔Carl Rolas du Rosey (L. 2237).╗ On the left margin, on handmade paper with a double serrated edge, a pen-and-ink drawing. This is mounted on card. The backing card bears a peeled-off label reading “Gerbrand van den Eckout” and a handwritten inscription, with an added note below. The collector’s stamp refers to Carl Rolas du Rosey (Karl Rolla du Rosey), a Prussian major general who was a significant art collector. His estate was sold at a total of three auctions, the first of which took place in 1863, with two more in 1864. In the auction catalog for the third auction on September 5, 1864, where numerous drawings were sold, the following lot is listed: 4486: “Eeckhout, Gerbrand van den. Bust of a bearded Oriental. Very freely executed in bistre. H. 3''. W. 2'' 3'''.” The attribution of this drawing is based on the fact that the dimensions and subject matter largely correspond to those of the collector’s piece. — Van den Eeckhout was a student of Rembrandt, and it has been noted on several occasions that he came closest to emulating his teacher’s style. Wurzbach I, p. 481.—Small corner tear at top right, outside the drawing (approx. 0.3 x 0.7 cm).