1 6 JAN STELN SECT. 29. John the Baptist Preaching in the Wilderness. A large landscape with numerous figures, horses, and waggons. 69 inches by 91 inches. Sale. J. de Roore, The Hague, September 4, 1747, No. 124 (150 florins, Grahams). 30. John the Baptist Preaching in the Wilderness. W. 206. Full of figures ; numerous persons are listening. Panel, 30^ inches by 30^ inches. Sales Reyersburgen van Couwerwen of Middelburg, at Leyden, July 31, 1765, No. 49 (92 florins). (Hoet, ii. 537.) Hendrik Verschuuring, The Hague, September 17, 1770, No. 164 (59 florins). 31. A Nativity. Very good; a masterpiece. Sale, Jonas Witsen, Amsterdam, March 23, 1717, No. 131 (loo florins). 3 1 a. The Nativity. Sale. Amsterdam, September 17, 1727, No. 15 (135 florins). 32. THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS. Nine figures. In the foreground of a stable a shepherd, seen in profile to the right, with folded hands kneels before the manger in which Jesus lies. To the right is the Virgin, wearing a red dress and a blue cloak ; with her right hand she lifts the cloth in which the Child is wrapped. Behind the Virgin stands Joseph with a torch, pointing out the manger to a boy and two peasant women. One woman with a large hat carries a lantern. On the left is a shepherd leaning on a staff", with a dog ; farther back are two other figures. Some implements and a basket lie on the ground. The picture is slight in execution, but very characteristic. The reddish flesh tones recall the work of G. Honthorst, to whom the picture was formerly ascribed. Signed in full on the manger ; canvas, 28^ inches by 37 inches. Now in the Museum at Aix, Provence, 1901 catalogue, No. 362. 33. THE ADORATION OF THE SHEPHERDS. In the centre sits the Virgin, with her face to the right, behind the chest in which the Child lies. She wears a red dress and a blue cloak. She holds one end of the white cloth in which Christ is wrapped. Behind her to the left is Joseph. In the foreground sits a peasant on the floor, taking an egg out of a basket ; beside him is a jug. On the left is another peasant, who is leaning on a barrel and gazes upon the Child. From the right come a dozen shepherds and women, with a cow and a goat ; two shepherds kneel, one plays on the bagpipes. In the right foreground is a young man with his back to the spectator j he carries a lantern, and has a dog with him. At the back, to the left, a girl and a boy sit by the fire. Some of the shepherds are represented with much humour. The composition is influenced by Rembrandt. Panel, 12 inches by 16 inches. In the collection of Schmetz, Aix-la-Chapelle. Now in the collection of A. Bredius, The Hague.
