PIETER JANSZ VAN ASCH (Delft, 1603 - 1678) Landscape with Figures Oil on canvas, 83.2X104 cm Provenance: Amsterdam, Christie's, 4 May 1999, lot 33 (as Pieter Jansz Van Asch) Milan, private collection Bibliography: https://rkd.nl/imageslite/318411 The style of the work reveals the personality of Pieter Jansz Van Asch, recognisable by his eclectic character inspired by the models of Jan Van Goyen and Salomon Van Ruysdael. The painting exhibits a draftsmanship rendered with quick touches and delicate glazing that allow the lights to emerge, while the small figures animating the landscape are described in italics and appear almost on a smaller scale, as if the author wished to emphasise the scenic importance with pre-Romantic sensitivity. The work is accompanied by a critical file by Raffaella Colace. Reference bibliography: G. J. M. Weber, Johannes Vermeer, Pieter Jansz. van Asch und das Problem der Abbildungstreue, Oud Holland 108 (1994), p. 98-105