Jan Both (attributed to)
Utrecht 1618 –
Landscape of ruins animated by a young shepherd with his goats
Ink, brown wash ans red shalk
Watermark: Tiare ? and inscription « DELAboison »
Origin: John Pearson (1777-1813) and Anne Pearson (active 1820-1830) according to an old sale.
129 x 164 mm – 5 1/16 x 6 7/16 in.
Jan Dirksz Both, born between 1610 and 1618 in Utrecht and died August 9, 1652, was a Dutch painter, draftsman and engraver. He made an important contribution to the development of Dutch painting of Italian landscapes.
Jan Both was the brother of Andries Both. According to Houbraken, the brothers first learned to paint from their father who was a glazier in that city. Later, Jan was a pupil of Abraham Bloemaert, and subsequently the brothers travelled together to Italy via France. In 1638 Jan and Andries were in Rome, where Andries concentrated on genre scenes in the manner of Pieter van Laer, while Jan devoted himself to landscapes in the manner of Claude Lorrain.
In 1639 Jan collaborated with Herman van Swanevelt and Claude Lorrain on a project for the Buen Retiro Palace in Madrid. By 1646, Jan was back in Utrecht where he devoted himself to his vast imaginary landscapes bathed in Mediterranean golden light.
The characteristic writing of foliage, superimposing the nervous features of the red shalk and the larger ink brush, creating a very particular vibration, is very often observed in the drawings of Jan Both as is a contrast of light more Italian than Dutch.
Condition report: Very good condition.
