The Holy Family with St John the Baptist.

Drawing, black chalk, 22,7 x 22,3 cm, vellum, signed "AB V D Tempel" in upper left corner (some stains, esp. on the signature, crease in lower right corner, somewhat fading).

Stuck by upper corners under passe-partout.

The seated Virgin turning her face to the left, the Child sitting on her lap playing with John, Joseph in right part. Abraham van den Tempel (ca. 1622-1672) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, renowned for his portraits. As the pupil of Jacob Adrieansz. Backer (1608-1651). Van den Tempel emerged as an artist in an environment in which there was an intense focus on draughtsmanship. His style is characterised as elegant, functional and endorsed with a forceful refinement, as can be seen in the present drawing. Along with Backer and Govert Flick, Van de Tempel was developing a more Flemish-oriented style in 1650-1660, following popular demand for these models.
Ref. D. de Witt, "Abraham van den Tempel (1622/3-1672) as a draughtsman", Oud Holland 119 (2006), pp. 164-196.
Prov. Albert Van Loock (stamp on verso, Lugt 3751).