In 1589 at the age of only three, the Antwerp born Adriaen van Nieulandt the Younger moved together with his parents Adriaen van Nieulandt I (-1603) and Geertruyd Loyson (-c.1627) and both his brothers Guilliam van Nieulandt II (1584-1635) and Jacob van Nieulandt (c.1593-1634) to Amsterdam where he would spend almost all of his artistic career. His younger brother, Guilliam, would become a significant painter of Italianate landscapes, just like his uncle, Willem van Nieulandt the Elder (1560-1626).
Adriaen had an apprenticeship to both Pietes Isaacsz. (1568-1625) and Frans Badens (1571-1618). His drawings are mainly italianate landscapes and stylistically related drawings are with the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam and Prentenkabinet Leiden, both with comparable repoussoirs and travellers.[1][2] Contrary to what his drawings suggest, probably Adriaen never visited Italy and his drawings show fractional copied segments of prints and drawings amongst others after his uncle Willem van Nieulandt.[3]
The attribution to Van Nieulandt for the series of allegories of the months of the year which this drawing is part of was first suggested by Peter Schatborn.
From the same series, the allegory of the month of April from the H.S.Reitlinger Collection was sold, Sotheby’s, London, 22 June 1954, lot 684. Allegories of the Months of March and May from the collection of Sir Bruce Ingram are now in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.[4][5] On verso these both carry the similar stamped numbers ‘81413’ and ‘81414’. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Beck suggested that the series was seperated in circa 1920, and this may have been done by Henri Graves & Co. in London.
The stamped number on the verso, listed here as possibly that of the London dealers Henri Graves & Co. (trading years 1827-1926), has alternatively been suggested to be that of Archduke Friedrich of Habsburg-Lotharingen (1856-1936), Vienna, in ca. 1919.
[1] Adriaen van Nieulandt, Mountainous landscape with a castle in the distance.
Tip of the brush and grey ink, grey wash, 252 276 mm.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, inv. no. RP-T-1885-A-456
[2] Adriaen van Nieulandt, Cities alongside a river during a rain shower
Tip of the brush and grey ink, grey wash, 246 x 393 mm.
Prentenkabinet Leiden, inv. no. PK-T-AW-611
[3] Guido Jansen and Ger Luijten, Italianisanten en Bamboccianten.
Exhibition catalogue, Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans-van Beuningen, 1988. p.100-101
[4] Adriaen van Nieulandt, The month of May (View of the Castle of Zuylen ?)
Tip of the brush and grey ink, grey wash, 220 x 321 mm.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, inv. no. PD.514-1963
[5] Adriaen van Nieulandt, The Month of March (a farmstead)
Tip of the brush and grey ink, grey wash, 220 x 319 mm.
The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, inv. no. PD.515-1963
