According to Nieuwenhuys it was one of the finest and most important paintings by this master. It had belonged to the collection of the Amsterdam merchant Warnar Wreesman Borghartzoon, who had died in 1816 and whose 323 paintings were sold on 11 April of that year at Huis met de Hoofden on Keizersgracht. Following a short stay in the home of the Parisian collector Hérard, who failed to pay for his purchase, the Backhuyzen was sold in 1823 by Nieuwenhuys, together with a St Hubert by Philip Wouwerman to the Prince of Orange for the considerable sum of 26,000 francs. Each painting had therefore cost an average of 13,000 francs. This would have been more or less equivalent to 6,000 Dutch guilders.
Photo: Royal Collections, The Hague