Pieter Jansz. Quast

Pieter Jansz Quast (Amsterdam 1605/06-1647) Soldiers playing cards in an interior oil on panel, laid down on panel 45 x 49.9 cm. Anonymous sale; Lepke, Berlin, 1 April 1930, lot 112. Anonymous sale; Rudolph, Hamburg, 21 April 1951, lot 347. We are grateful to Fred Meijer of the RKD, The Hague, for confirming the attribution after inspection of the original (verbal communication, 26 september 2013).

Pieter Jansz. Quast (Amsterdam 1605-1647) Three figure drawings from a sketchbook: A halberdier; A quarrelsome peasant with a cudgel; and A quarrelsome peasant with a knife signed 'Pieter Quast' (1), signed with monogram and dated '1640' (3) and numbered respectively '5' (1), '32' (2) and '33' (3) graphite on vellum 7¾ x 6 in. (19.7 x 15.3 cm.) (3) Anonymous sale; Sotheby's, Amsterdam, 16 November 1981, part of lot 14 and lot 20. These three spirited figure studies were previously bound in a sketchbook, which contained drawings of people of various ranks and trades, and from which more than forty sheets were offered at the 1981 sale. Each of the sheets from the sketchbook bears a number and so it is possible to reconstruct at least part of the arrangement, which indicates that the studies were bound by theme and that the volume probably served as a model book. The halberdier was originally bound after some pages showing cavaliers in very elaborate costume, whereas the two fighting men appeared in a section devoted to beggars, peasants and those of more modest status. Each of the present works displays both Quast's visual wit and his remarkable finesse of execution.

QUAST, PIETER JANSZ (1606 Amsterdam 1647) A scene at an inn. Black chalk on vellum. 21.3 x 17.5 cm. Framed. Provenance: - collector's stamp: R.P. (red brown, verso), not in Lugt - Collection of Vincent Mayer (1831-1901), New York/ Freiburg i.Br., Lugt 2525 CHF 1 000.- / 1 500.- € 770.- / 1 150.- QUAST, PIETER JANSZ (1606 Amsterdam 1647) Wirtshausszene. Schwarze Kreide auf Pergament. 21,3 x 17,5 cm. Gerahmt. Provenienz: - Sammlerstempel: R.P. (rotbraun, verso), nicht bei Lugt - Sammlung Vincent Mayer (1831-1901), New York/ Freiburg i.Br., Lugt 2525 CHF 1 000.- / 1 500.- € 770.- / 1 150.-

Pieter Jansz. Quast (Amsterdam c. 1605-1647) A tavern interior with peasants drinking and smoking beside afire oil on panel 50.5 x 44.7 cm. inscribed 'haupf Catal: 44 P. Quast' (on a early label on thereverse) Anonymous sale; Philips, London, 5 July 1994, lot 1. Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 10 July 1998, lot158.

LOT 77 PIETER JANSZ. QUAST AMSTERDAM 1605/6 - 1647 THE QUACK DOCTOR 6,000—8,000 USD measurements measurements note 8 15/16 by 14 1/16 in; 227 by 358 mm Description Black chalk, within partial black chalk framing lines, onvellum;bears attribution, number and lettering in black chalk, verso: Pet.Quast...1897...N=;signed in black chalk, lower right: Pieter Quast PROVENANCE August Artaria (L.33);possibly his sale, Vienna, H.O. Miethke, 12 January 1886 CATALOGUE NOTE This is a fine example of the comic scenes depicted by Quast,which were often drawn from specific sources in popular theatre.The Quack doctor was frequently satirised in Dutch 17th Century artand indeed another drawing by Quast, showing the fraudster sellinghis wares, was sold in Amsterdam in 1992.1 1. Christie's, 25 November 1992, lot 554