A fantastic panel from David Vinckboons I (1576-c.1632) entitled The Blind Hurdy Gurdy Player is to lead old masters works at a Christie's auction on October 24 in London.
 Vinckboon was one of the key players in popularising genre painting |
David Vinckboons was a highly influential genre painter who is noted as one of the most popular and prolific artists of the Dutch golden age. Influenced by Pieter Brueghel the Elder, he is renowned for his elegant figures in natural landscapes.
The piece at auction is one of a number of versions that Vinckboons created around the subject of a hurdy-gurdy player. Both he and Pieter Brueghel the Younger frequently revisited the subject during their careers, though scholars have yet to determine whether the two had an artistic relationship.
The work originates from the collection of the German princely family of Hohenzollern, a royal dynasty of electors, kings and emperors of Prussia, Germany and Romania. It is expected to sell for £15,000-20,000 ($24,000-$32,000).
 Collins is known for his brilliant depictions of wildlife |
Sharing this estimate is a superb river landscape from Irish-born artist Charles Collins. Created in 1742, it depicts a moorhen, a snipe, two shelduck and a swallow, and is characteristic of Collins' oeuvre.
Also featuring at the sale is a portrait of a bearded man, which was created by a follower of Rembrandt van Rijn. A striking piece that imitates the instantly recognisable qualities of Rembrandt's work, it is expected to bring £7,000-10,000 ($11,000-16,000).
The auction can expect strong results after a brilliant year for old master works. John Constable's The Lock sold for a record £22.4m ($35.2m) in July and the respected Mei Moses art index recently reported a 5.6% increase in value for the sector since January.
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