Temptation of Christ

1635/1640

attributed to Govaert Flinck

Associated Names
Govaert Flinck

Artist, Dutch, 1615 - 1660

This is a drawing of two people interacting with each other. The person on the left is in profile, extending their arms out towards the person on the right. They appear to have the legs and tail of a goat, and they wear a pointed hat that flops forward. They hold something in their outstretched hands which looks like a bowl. The person on the right is a man with long hair and a beard. He wears long, draped robes. His body is turned to the right, but he looks over his shoulder at the object held out to him by the other person, lifting one of his hands slightly. The scene is set against a backdrop of minimalistic landscape features with simple lines defining the ground and a few indications of natural forms, such as rocks or a bank. The drawing is executed with dark, fluid lines and has a sketch-like quality. The background is beige paper.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and brown ink on laid paper

  • Credit Line

    Widener Collection

  • Dimensions

    Overall: 16.3 x 21 cm (6 7/16 x 8 1/4 in.)
    support: 22.2 x 26.7 cm (8 3/4 x 10 1/2 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1942.9.675

  • Catalogue Raisonné

    Benesch 1973, no. 66


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

NGA Widener

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1954

  • Drawings and Watercolors by Flemish and Dutch Masters, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1954.

2006

  • Strokes of Genius: Rembrandt's Prints and Drawings, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. (as Rembrandt, retouched by later artist)

2015

  • Rembrandt's Christ, The Hyde Collection, Glens Falls, NY; and Museum of Art, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 2015-2016.

Bibliography

1925

  • Valentiner, Wilhelm R. Rembrandt Handzeichnungen. New York, 1925: no. 352.

1935

  • Benesch, Otto. Rembrandt: Werk und Forschung. Berlin, 1935: 15 and no. 66 (as Rembrandt, with later retouchings)

1957

  • Rotermund, Hans-Martin. "Rembrandts Bibel." Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek. 8 (1957): 139 (composition by Rembrandt, though possibly not the execution).

1958

  • Sumowski, Werner. Rembrandt erzählt das Leben Jesu. Berlin, 1958, p. 131 (as Rembrandt).

1961

  • Haverkamp-Begemann, Egbert. Review of Benesch 1954-7. Kunstchronik. XIV (1961): 21 (as Rembrandt School).

  • Sumowski, Werner. Bemerkungen zu Otto Beneschs Corpus der Rembrandt-zeichnungen. Bad Pyrmont, 1961: 4 (not convincing as Rembrandt).

1973

  • Benesch, Otto. The Drawings of Rembrandt. 6 vols. London: Phaidon, 1973. (enlarged and edited by Eva Benesch from 1954-1957 ed.): no. 66 (as Rembrandt): no. 66

1981

  • Sumowski 1981,vol.4, no.950a(x) (as Govaert Flinck).

1983

  • Wheelock, Arthur K. "The influence of Lucas van Leyden on Rembrandt's narrative etching'" in Essays in Northern European Art presented to Egbert Haverkamp Begemann (Doornspijk, 1983): p. 290 (as Rembrandt).

1992

  • Royalton-Kisch, Martin. Drawings by Rembrandt and His Circle in the British Museum. London, 1992: 41 (as Govaert Flinck).

1997

  • Plomp, Michiel C. The Dutch Drawings in the Teyler Museum, Volume II, Artists Born between 1575 and 1630. Haarlem, 1997: 293 (as Govaert Flinck)

2005

  • Hautekeete, Stefaan. Les dessins de Rembrandt et ses élèves appartenant à la collection de Jean de Grez, Brussels, 2005, under no. 22, (as Govaert Flinck).

2009

  • Royalton-Kisch, Martin. Catalogue of Drawings by Rembrandt and His School in the British Museum. London, 2009: under no. 7 (as Govaert Flinck).

2010

  • Schatborn, Peter. The Early, Rembrandtesque Drawings of Govert Flinck." Master Drawings 48 (Spring 2010): p. 17 and note 53 (as Flinck)

2012

  • Royalton-Kisch, Martin. The Drawings of Rembrandt: a Revision of Otto Benesch's Catalogue Raisonné online reference, 2012 - . (rembrandtcatalogue.net, accessed 25 February 2016) (as Flinck?)

  • Sutton, Peter C., and William W. Robinson. Drawings by Rembrandt, His Students, and His Circle from the Maida and George Abrams Collection. New Haven, 2012: 82, under no. 22 (citing Schatborn's opinion that this is one of a group of drawings by Flinck).

Wikidata ID

Q64620304

You may be interested in

Loading Results