signed and inscribed ‘walpurg Fec:’
graphite, black chalk and black ink, yellow-brown wash on vellum 18.4 x 15.7 cm

The present, recently-rediscovered drawing, is the only known drawing by Rudolf van Walburg. Until its rediscovery, the artist was only known through a signed print showing a portrait of professor Johannes Fredericus Gronovius. [1] Given that the print is a portrait of a professor at the university of Leiden, it may be assumed that the artist was active in that town. Stylistically, the drawing is rather close to those by that of Johannes Thopas (circa 1626-circa 1690). [2]

As Eric Jan Sluijter and Jaap van der Veen have both independently remarked (written correspondence, 2024), the last name “Walburg” (also written as Walburch, Walpurg, Walburgh and Walpurch) is rare in The Netherlands. Both have independently pointed out a certain Hans Jansz. van Walburch, who (according to Van der Veen) was a tailor by profession, and assisted with the drawing up of a legal document in Amsterdam, 16 December 1643; this may well have been the same Hans Jansz. van Walburch who (as pointed out by Sluijter) lived at Rapenburg 69-A in Leiden around the same time. This Hans Jansz. van Walburch may have been a family relationship of the present artist, but this remains sheer conjecture at this point.

[1] See for an impression, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam; inv. RP-B- 0B.61.671. See also C. Schuckman et al., Hollstein’s Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts. 1450-1700, Rotterdam, 1998, pp. 27-29.
[2] See R. Ekkart, Deaf, Dumb & Brilliant. Johannes Thopas. Master Draughtsman, exhib. cat., Suermondt-Ludwig-Museum, Aachen, 2014 and elsewhere; see for particularly close comparisons numbers 7 to 13, ill.