An original 17th-century etching by the Dutch Golden Age painter-etcher Jan van der Meer the Younger (Haarlem, 1656–1705), also recorded as Jan Vermeer van Haarlem II. Van der Meer trained under his father, the landscape painter Jan Vermeer van Haarlem the Elder, and under Nicolaes Berchem, and is known today primarily for Italianate landscape paintings. His etched work is extremely limited, a small group of pastoral animal studies produced around 1685, which makes surviving impressions scarce on the market.

This sheet depicts a recumbent ewe with two lambs in a landscape setting, with a further sheep seated behind, and is one plate from a set of four landscapes with sheep by the artist. Old pencil and ink annotations on the reverse identify the print as "Dutuit #1," referencing Eugène Dutuit's Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes (1881–88), the standard 19th-century French reference for Dutch and Flemish old master prints, and quote the English print historian Michael Bryan, whose Dictionary of Painters and Engravers describes van der Meer's etchings as "a few charming etchings ... which are now become scarce." A related plate by the artist from the same year, Standing Sheep and Two Lambs (1685), is catalogued as Hollstein 2 and held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Medium: Etching
Date: 1685
Sheet/Plate: Approx. 5.25 x 4.5 in.
Backing paper: Approx. 7 x 9 in.

Condition: A very clean, strong impression in good condition overall. Mounted to a secondary backing sheet bearing an early handwritten collection or auction lot number ("16") in pencil below the image.

Provenance notes: Old collector/dealer annotations on verso - "Dutuit #1"; "John [Jan] van der Meer the Younger (1656–1705) / One of a set of 4 landscapes, with sheep"; Bryan citation. Pencil lot number "16" on mount, with a further old lot number on the recto, possibly indicating prior sales.

References: Dutuit, Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes; cf. Hollstein, Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts (Hollstein 2, related plate, Art Institute of Chicago); Bryan, Dictionary of Painters and Engravers.