Jan Symonsz. Pynas

Jan Pynas Alkmaar 1581/82-1631 Amsterdam The Calling of Saint Peter signed and dated 'I PYNAS 1620' (lower right) oil on panel 14½ x 20 in. 36.8 x 50.8 in. Provenance E. J. Dent, London. Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 18 July 1941, lot 23, (10 gns. to Dr. E. I. Schapiro, London). Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 13 July 1979, lot 24. Literature K. Bauch, 'Beiträge zum Werk der Vorläufer Rembrandts, I-II, Die Gemälde des Jan Pynas', Oud Holland , 52, 1935, p. 157, no. 1. A. Tümpel, The Pre-Rembrandtists , Sacramento, 1974, p. 25.

JAN SYMONSZ. PYNAS (1583/84-1631) - STUDY FOR AN ALTAR WITH THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS, FLANKED BY THE ANNUNCIATION AND THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST -
Mis: 154 by 223mm
bears inscription, lower right: latsman fec: pen and brown ink and wash, heightened with white

PROVENANCE
Prince Wladimir Argoutinsky-Dolgoroukoff, sale of his collection, Amsterdam, R.W.P. de Vries, 27 March 1925, lot 180 (as Lastman)

REFERENCES
Kurt Bauch, 'Beiträge zum Werk der Vorläufer Rembrandts II. Zeichnungen von Jan Pynas', Oud Holland, LII, 1935, pp. 197-9, reproduced fig. 6

CATALOGUE NOTE
As Bauch pointed out (loc. cit.), this is the study by Pynas for a three-panel altarpiece, which was recorded in numerous old sale catalogues until the late 18th century, but is now lost. Given the rarity of such multiple altarpieces in the Netherlands at this time, the close correspondence between the present composition and the descriptions in these catalogues means that although no images of the altar are known, the connection is almost certain. It is also a very rare example of a full compositional drawing by Pynas. Stylistically, Bauch sees in this composition a combination of influences from Venetian art, and from the Roman world of Elsheimer and his contemporaries, presumably absorbed during Pynas' trip, or trips, to Italy. The 18th-century biographer Arnold Houbraken states that Jan Pynas accompanied Pieter Lastman to Italy in 1605, but if he did make such a trip, it was a relatively short one, as he is documented as living in Amsterdam at the beginning of 1607. More securely documented is a later trip to Rome, in 1617, when he signed and inscribed a drawing Jan Pynas ft/Roma 1617.1 1. Laban searching for the Household Gods, Amsterdam, Rijksprentenkabinet. See P. Schatborn & M. Schapelhouman, Dutch Drawings of the Seventeenth Century in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Artists born between 1580 and 1600, 2 vols., Amsterdam 1998, cat. no. 279

from an album of drawings apparently formed by a dutch collector in the late 17th century. the album was owned by jane cleaver in 1789, and by descent to multon lambarde, in 1848. a group of drawings from the album, which had then passed by descent to a.c.m.b. scott, esq., were sold london, christie's, 10 july 1973, lots 1-21. it is not know when this drawing was removed from the album.

Jan Symonsz. Pynas (Alkmaar 1581/2-1631 Amsterdam) Jacob buries the Idols signed with monogram 'JP' (lower centre) oil on panel 61.2 x 71.6 cm. The property of the late H.M. Cramer, The Hague. Bible Review, Washington, XVII, August 2001, p. 31, no. 4.

LOT 93 JAN PYNAS HAARLEM 1582 - 1631 AMSTERDAM MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURE IN A LANDSCAPE oil on canvas 62 1/8 by 42 7/8 in.; 157.8 by 108.7 cm.