NEAPOLITAN SCHOOL, (17TH CENTURY)

NEAPOLITAN SCHOOL, (17TH CENTURY)
Mucius Scaevola Before Lars Porsena
inscibed Die Beherzeit von Mutius Scirevola. (on verso), inscibed Mutius Scevola. / Esquisse de Solimene. (on the old mount), numbered 16 and inscibed F. Solimena. Col de Spengler No.308 (on the old mount), further inscribed Mutius Scirevola im Lager der Porsena. van Solimene (on the reverse of the old mount)
pen and brown ink and brown wash, over an underdrawing in red chalk, oval
8.5 x 16.5 x cm (3 1/4 x 6 1/2 in.)
overall: 23.5 x 32 cm (9 1/4 x 12 1/2 in.)

Provenance
Johann Wilhelm Veith, Andelfingen and Schaffhausen
His posthumous sale ('Kunstsammlung der verstorb. Hrn. Anistes und Dekan Veith in Schaffhausen'), Leipzig, Rudolf Weigel, 2 November 1835 onwards, lot 1226 (as Francesco Solimena: 'Solimena, F...Mutius Scävola die Hand über das Feuer haltend, Composit. von 4 Figuren. Bister. kl. qu. 4.' bt. Spengler)
Johan Conrad Spengler, Copenhagen, (Lugt 1434), his drystamp (lower left centre)
His posthumous sale, Copenhagen, 8 October 1839 onwards, lot 308 (as Francesco Solimena: 'Solimena, F...Mutius Scaevola présentant la main au feu; composition de quatre figures. A bistre; 8 en trav. Du cab. de Veith.', bt. Wolff)
Benjamin Wolff, Engelholm, Denmark (Lugt 420), with his drystamp (lower right)
Thence by descent in the Wolff Sneedorf family until 2018