Past Auctions

Dutch School (17th/18th Century)
“Head of a Youth (Possibly a Satyr or Bacchante)”
A sensitively modeled red-chalk study of a youthful head in profile, the figure inclining forward with a gentle, knowing smile. The artist renders the features with exceptionally fine parallel hatching and soft tonal transitions, characteristic of 17th-century Dutch draftsmanship. The luxuriant, curling hair is drawn with rhythmic, sculptural strokes, and the pointed ear subtly identifies the subject as a mythological figure—likely a young satyr, faun, or bacchante rather than a purely idealized youth. The treatment suggests a workshop or academic study after antique or allegorical models, where such hybrid classical types were frequently explored
18″ x 14″
Provenance: Property from a Prominent New York City Collector
Sotheby’s Beverly Hills, sale #1286, July 12, 1989 (label on verso)

Estimate: $300 - $500