DAVID COLIJNS About 1582 Rotterdam - after 1668 Amsterdam THE PROPHET ELIJAH IS VISITED BY THE ANGEL Oil on oak panel with two parallel Sponki on the back. 45 x 54 cm (F. 67 x 77 cm). Signed an indistinctly dated lower right: 'D.Colyns'. Old restored, panel vertically double cracks. Flemish frame (probably) 18th century. The Old Testament story in which an angel appears to the prophet Elijah on Horeb is the subject of this painting by the artist David Colijns. The Rotterdam-born painter was particularly skilled at depicting historical allegories of the Bible that were rich in figures. At least this is what the Dutch art writer Arnold Houbraken (1660-1719) reports in his extensive publication on the artists of the Netherlands ('groote schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen', 1718-1721). berichten. Interestingly there is another painting by the artist in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam depicting a scene from the life of the Prophet, the Ascension of Elijah (inv. no. SK-A-1617). Propheten, der Himmelfahrt des Elias (Inv. Nr. SK-A-1617). The painting offered here is accompanied by an expert opinion by Justus Müller-Hofstede (27 June 1980), who classifies the painting as Colijns' own work. Juni 1980), der das Bild als eigenhändige Arbeit Colijns' einordnet. Provenance: Private Collection Baden Württemberg (Gernsbach); Private Collection North Rhine-Westphalia. Nordrhein-Westfalen.