Adriaen Hendriksz. Verboom

Although Verboom's most familiar drawings are undoubtedly his serene and pastoral landscapes from the 1650s, which strongly reflect the mature works of Jacob van Ruisdael (1628-1682), he also made a small group of intriguing, earlier drawings in pen and ink, characterised by an insistent, rhythmical handling in the foliage that is strongly reminiscent of the etchings and earliest drawings of Ruisdael, and the drawings of his fellow Haarlem artist, Cornelis Vroom (1591-1661). Examples of these early drawings by Verboom are in Frankfurt and Haarlem¹, and another was formerly in the Oppé collection.²

This attractive drawing falls, in some ways, between the styles of the rather frenzied early drawings and the calmer later works, and the qualities of these two types of drawing by Verboom actually combine rather well, to create a distinctive and appealing image of a classic Dutch rural scene. Perhaps closest in handling is a signed and dated landscape drawing of 1652, formerly in the Calando and Van Dongen collections.³

^1.Frankfurt, Städel Museum, inv. 5544; Haarlem, Teylers Museum, inv. KY 2014 038, previously sale London, Christie’s, 10 July 2014, lot 69

^2.Sale, London, Sotheby's, 5 July 2016, lot 106

^3.Current location unknown; photo at RKD: https://rkd.nl/images/285150