Pieter van Laer (Haarlem, h. 1599-1642)
Country Landscape, by Pieter van Laer (Haarlem ...

Country Landscape, by Pieter van Laer (Haarlem, ca. 1599-1642)
Oil on canvas with modern frame in carved and gilded wood.

Signed at the bottom right: "P. De Laer".

Size: 43 x 37 cm (canvas): 56.5 x 50 x 5 x 5 cm (frame)

Van Laer was a Dutch draughtsman, painter and engraver established in Italy. He stood out as a member of a group of artists who became known and called Bamboccianti. Its members painted, in particular, scenes of great quality of country type among ruins and animals, with unidentified popular characters, in small and medium format, having their center of activity in Rome that they developed approximately between 1600-1650.

The painting that we present, signed "P. De Laer" is a clear example of this pictorial genre. The composition in reference to the white horse, should be compared with the same motif that appears in another equine in the print engraved and signed by him that conserves in Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid (see image).

It comes from an old collection of the 19th century where it preserves in its original frame a handwritten annotation in black ink "No. 6". It also preserves a 20th century label in reference to its framing made in Geneva (Switzerland): "AU CADRE DORÉ" / Max WILLI / DOREURS - BOIS / 6, Bd duPont. d'Arve / 1205 GENEVE Tel. 251360".

Provenance:

Old XIX century collection; inv. no. 6 (reverse).

France, trade.

Spain, private collection.