Venus mourning the death of Adonis.

Black chalk, brown ink, brown and gray wash, heightened with white, framing line in brown ink, 23,7 x 19,1 cm, attributed on mount (corners cut, few creases).

Laid down on paper. Hinged at upper edges, under passe-partout.

Interesting mythological scene by Abraham van Diepenbeeck (1596-1675). A smaller, less refined drawing of the same subject is in Vienna (Albertina, inv. 9499). He was probably inspired by his teacher Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), who depicted the subject several times. See examples in London (Dulwich Picture Gallery, inv. DPG451) and Jerusalem (Israel Museum, inv. B00.0735).
Ref. John Barnard (d. 1784), London (L.1419, ms. note "J:B." on recto and "J:B. N° 966" on verso). - Paris, Christie's, 10.4.2013, lot 18 (as Abraham van Diepenbeeck).