Until recently, Gijsbrecht Leytens was only known as the 'Master of the Winter Landscapes'. The art historian P.F.J.J. Reelick was the first tentatively to identify Leytens. [1] This was confirmed when a fully signed work was published by U. Härting in 1988. [2] Leytens entered the workshop of the Antwerp artist Jacques Vrolyck in 1598, at the age of twelve. By 1611, he was a member of the Antwerp Guild of St Luke, and by 1617, Leytens had a number of assistants working for him. He taught several pupils, including François van der Veeken. He was also a captain in the Antwerp civil guard.

According to 17th century inventories of collections in Antwerp, Leytens collaborated with artists such as Frans Francken II, Sebastiaen Vrancx and Vincent Malo, who would paint the figures in his compositions. Leytens painted mainly landscapes although six marine paintings (now all lost) are recorded as by him in the inventories. It used to be thought that Leytens only painted winter landscapes (hence his moniker), but now it is known that he also painted a number of forest and river landscapes. Some of these have in the meantime been attributed to Leytens, while others are undoubtedly still in museums and private collections under a different name. 

The present work, a river landscape with wood gatherers, was last sold almost 40 years ago as a work by Alexander Keirincx, a contemporary of Leytens'. However, it is without a doubt a characteristic work by Leytens, as it is very close both stylistically and compositionally to a number of known works by the artist. [3]

[1] P.F.J.J. Reelick, 'Bijdrage tot Identificatie van den Meester der Winterlandschappen (G. Leytens?)', in: Oud Holland, 1942, LIX, pp. 74-9.

[2] U. Härting, 'Der Meister der Winterlandschaften, der Maler Gysbrecht Leytens', in: Die Kunst, 1988, I, p. 27.

[3] See, for example, the river landscape sold at Sotheby's, London, 18 October 1995, lot. 41.