Landscape drawing of a fantasy view of the ruins of a castle on a river with a barge crossing the ford, by Antonina Houbraken, 17th century, Dutch School.

Landscape drawing in pen, slightly tinted with bistre and neutral tint, on paper. Fantasy view of the ruins of a castle on a river, with a barge crossing the ford. A ruined building appears beyond the river, its watch-tower surmounted by a weather-cock. On the left, in the foreground, is a sailing barge transporting a horse-drawn caravan.

Bequeathed by Rev. Alexander Dyce

Provenance: Griffier François Fagel the elder (1659–1746), The Hague; presumably his nephew, Griffier Hendrick Fagel the elder (1706–90), The Hague; his grandson, Griffier Hendrick Fagel the younger (1765–1838), The Hague and London, the family sale [François Fagel the elder], London, T. Philipe, 20–5 May 1799, possibly lot 463: ‘Fifteen landscapes––six in bistre––neat small views––the rest ruined castles––all in Holland’ (bt. for £0. 5s. 0d.);1 William Esdaile (1758–1837), London (L. 2617 at upper right), his sale, London, Christie’s, 18–25 June 1840, lot 837: ‘Stellingwerf. A pair of river-scenes, with a chateau and a ferry-boat, in bistre’ (to ‘Sheath’ for £0. 3s. 0d.); Rev. Alexander Dyce (1798–1869), London, by whom bequeathed to the museum (L. Suppl. 153b), 1869.

This landscape drawing in pen and brown ink depicts a fantasy view of the ruins of a castle on a river while a sailing barge carrying a horse-drawn caravan crosses the ford in the foreground. It was made by Antonina Houbraken (1686-1736), a Dutch draughtswoman from Dordrecht. Like many women artists in the early modern period, she likely learned to draw from her father, Arnold Houbraken. Antonina worked alongside her father and her brother, the print-maker Jacobus Houbraken, on various print projects, including the publication of a volume on Netherlandish painters.

DYCE.437