Lot 1127 Dα

The original painting from Adam Elsheimer with this image, and which Hendrick Goudts made a copper engraving of in 1613, is missing. The closest we have to it may be a contemporary copy which has been in the Statens Museum in Copenhagen since 1760. A second version is found in the National Gallery in London which varies slightly from both ours, the Copenhagen picture and Goudts' engraving in terms of the landscape (Andrews, op. Cit.). On the grounds of style, Andrews dates the small composition to around 1609, therefore one year before Elsheimer's death. One possible attribution for the Copenhagen picture which has been considered is that of Johann König. This however has not been proved, and neither for our high quality, perfectly preserved painting.