Featured Esther's book chap. 7 vs. 6. Who's the artist ?

The subject for this painting comes from Esther's book chap. 7 vs. 6. Unsigned. Oil on wood, 51,0 cm X 39,5 cm. To me it looks Flemish, 17th century. But who's the artist ? Maybe you have a suggestion ?

 

dunno...but the painting looks to be in too good a condition , to be paired with such a beat up frame....

 

The Rembrandt (flipped, brightened up)



I'm struck by Esther's flat face and light hair in both paintings, but yours looks in much better condition than one would expect for something 300+ years in age. The punched up Rembrandt gives me the feeling of a Persian miniature; you can almost smell spice and incense. The beardlessness of Haman & the large window showing daylight in the background grab my attention in yours. The light in the scene does not appear to come from the window behind.

For reasons I cannot articulate, just a general gestalt, yours strikes me as more likely to be Italian.

 

There seem to be some problems with anatomy and perspective. Where the heck is this guy's shoulder?

 

About in line with the turret visible in the window behind him? Think the black covers his shoulder & part of his arm.

 

Thanks for the comments.

There are in fact minor damages but they don't show on the photos.

Esther is very well painted but the rest is not quite up to her standard. So my theory is that the painting comes from some well-known successfull master painter with a large workshop in which the master only painted important parts of the paintings himself and the rest was left to assistants. And who could that master be ? Esther is so well painted that the Leiden school's 'fijnschilders' comes to mind. I attach a photo of a painting from my collection signed by one of them, Adriaen van der Werff (1659-1722), where I guess that's the case. But I have of course no proof for my theory. Maybe you know better ?

 

I think Flemish, like you first thought, is much more likely. Flanders also had fijnschilders, although not often called that.