Masterfully work from the 17th century was attributed due to the quality, style and composition to the hand of well renowed Dutch landscape and figure painter Cornelius van Poulenburgh ( 1594 - Utrecht - 1667). Though his birthplace is unknown, a signed document survives in Utrecht where he is listed as six years old and the son of Simon van Poelenburch, a Catholic canon in Utrecht. He initially trained with Abraham Bloemaert and his earliest signed paintings are from 1620. He traveled to Rome where he was influenced by Adam Elsheimer and became a member of the Bentvueghels. Invited to London by Charles I of England , he soon returned to his native Holland. He painted mostly small landcapes with mythical or religious figures or passages, in a style that would later be evident in some of the works of Claude Lorraine. His "most important and successful" pupils were Daniel Vertangen, Dirck van der Lisse, Francois Verwilt and Jan van Haenbergen, Arnold Houbraken also mentions Joan vander Lis from Breda, Warnard van Rysen from Bommel, and Willem van Steenree, a nephew. Works by him situated at the Uffizi Gallery, Florence ("Mercury and Batto"); there are also paintings by Cornelis Van Poelenburgh in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary.

Literature: in French: "Dictionary of painters, sculptos and decorators" by E.Benezit, Gründ,1999 and in German: "Allgemeines Kuenstlerlexikon " by Thieme/Becker, Lepzig, 1999;

Inscription: unsigned.

Technique: oil on wood panel . Luxuriousy  gold-plated frame of 19th sentury.

Measurements: unframed w 13 3/4" x h 10 1/4 " (35 x 26,5 cm ) , framed 22 " x 18 3/4 " ( 56 x 47,5 cm ).

Condition: in  good condition.