Lot 137: ATTRIBUTED TO GERRIT ADRIAENSZ. BERCKHEYDE

HAARLEM 1638 - 1698 A SLEEPING SHEPHERD Black chalk, heightened with white, on blue paper; bears attribution in brown ink, on reverse of old backing sheet: Bega 145 by 246 mm

Though the mood and costume are reminiscent of figure studies by Dutch Italianate artists such as Berchem, the linearity and angularity of this drawing suggest the traditional attribution to Bega is closer to the mark. It is not, however, by Bega, and the best candidate would appear to be Bega's Haarlem associate, Gerrit Berckheyde, whose works are often hard to separate from those of Bega.