Brakenburgh, Richard (Haarlem 1650 - 1702 Haa... Lot n° 52100

Painting "The Bard's Arrival", oil on canvas, architecturally richly structured hall with rich staffage of persons, harpist accompanied by a crowd of children at lower left, looking towards the central gallery occupied by noblemen, signed at lower centre "R. Bragenburgh", 66,5 x 67,5 cm, ~1690, old mounted, otherwise apparently unrestored original condition with traces of age and missing parts, three small tears in the centre right, one slightly retouched missing part lower left (ausführlicher Zustandsbericht auf Anfrage verfügbar / detailed condition report available on request), inscribed in ink on the reverse of the stretcher by another hand "R. Brakenburgh", later neatly framed 3601 Richard Brakenburg was known for his depictions of festivities and societies with many figurative staffage, as a rule weddings and festivities are to be found in honest rural interiors, this depiction of a large and richly decorated festive hall with noblemen on raised balconies and other persons may certainly be counted among his best and most important works and probably represents one of his major works