The Entombment of Christ.

Drawing, pen and brown ink with grey wash, 19,8 x 15 cm, laid paper with watermark (Dutch paper dated ca. 1750, Churchill: 84).

Under passe-partout.

The entombment after a painting by the Dutch Caravaggist Dirck van Baburen in San Pietro in Montorio in Rome. A second sketch in pencil on verso after a Roman statue (perhaps Augustus). Probably added by a later hand is the ms. inscription "Tableau qui est à Saint Pierre in Montorio à Rome". The drawing has been attributed on the verso side to Jean Grandjean (1752-1781). He was the first Duch artist to travel to Rome in 1779 after Pope Clement XI had abolished the Dutch artistic community "De Bentvleugels" in 1720. Grandjean was strongly influenced by Winckelmann's neo-classicism. The drawing style, the use of wash and the Dutch watermark in the paper seem to point in the direction of this attribution.
Prov. Albert Van Loock (stamp on verso, Lugt 3751).