Lot Essay
Jonas Zeuner was born in 1727 in Kassel (Germany), where his family had been working as weavers since several generations. He was registered as a 'canonnier' in the army for his mariage in 1750. As recorded by Rudy Eswarin, A Group of Portraits by Zeuner, Journal of Glass Studies, 19, New York, 1977, pp. 127-133, Zeuner came to live and work in Amsterdam shortly after that to stay there until his death in 1814, interrupted for a period of possibly one year in 1778, when working in London. He may have returned to England for a second period sometime during the years 1802-6.
The technique for which Zeuner became so well-known is called verre églomisé after the French 18th century encadreur Jean-Baptiste Glomy, who used the technique for his glass mounts. This technique had already been described in the 14th century by the Italian Cennino Cennini, Il Libro dell'arte o Trattato della pittura, Padua, undated (reprint, Florence 1859), part 172, p. 123, in Italy it later became known as 'agglomizzato'. The technique is basically brought into practice by pasting leafs of gold and silver behind glass, engraving these, and painting the background afterwards. In later times it was much used in France and Germany, often for the decoration of furniture, but Zeuner appears to be the first specialising in pictures using the technique.
Zeuner's first dated work, showing a monk in conversation with a young woman in a landscape was done in 1770 (exhibition catalogue, 1994, no. 122), while his last dated works were done in 1806. His oeuvre includes allegorical, historical, hunting and genre scenes, marines, landscapes and especially topographical views including country-houses, castles and views of cities in Holland, England and Scotland, often based on compositions by other hands. Some of his topographical views were made in up to four versions, no doubt because of the great demand for these extraordinary works of art in an unusual technique.
Within Zeuner's oeuvre, his views of Amsterdam are certainly among the best and constitute a large part of his work. The earliest dated view among these was done in 1773, the latest is dated 1796 (exhibition catalogue, 1994, nos. 28 and 151). The group includes works with the most famous views along Amsterdam canals, incorporating well-known churches and towers such as the Munttoren seen from the Singel and from the Binnenamstel, the Keizersgracht with the Westerkerk, and the Jan Roodenpoortstoren on the Singel.
The present lot, Zeuner's largest known work, is dated 1776, and is among his more unusual views of Amsterdam, the only one dated to that year. This and the fact that no model for this composition is known may indicate that it was commissioned especially and that the composition could be the artist's own invention. Zeuner used his own methods to create perspective, which is well illustrated by the widening of the quay of the Herengracht in the present lot.
The Herengracht was created following the expansion of Amsterdam in the early 17th century. The houses on the Herengracht nos. 594-600 shown on the right in the present lot were constructed between 1670 and 1687. One of the owners or inhabitants of these may have commissioned the present lot in or just before 1776.
In that year Herengracht 594 was owned by Volkert Christoffers (died 1800), while Cornelia Linquet (1723-1801), widow of Joost Zaal, is known to have lived there in 1775, probably until the owner moved there in 1777. In circa 1802-10 the famous collector and business-man Adriaen van der Hoop Jansz. (1778-1854), whose important collection was bequeathed to the City of Amsterdam upon his death, lived there.
Herengracht 596 was in 1776 probably inhabited by Jan Willem Bosé (died 1796), who is known to have rented the house from the Van Baerle family, while in 1777 the widow of the watch and clock maker Rudolf Louis Cresp lived in the house.
Herengracht 598-600 consists of two houses, which were built together with that at Amstel 212a. No. 598 was owned by Hendrik Valkenburg since 1740, who rented it out to Gerbrand Kreyne, living there between circa 1773 and 1781. No. 600 became the property of Bruno van der Goes (1705-1791), burgomaster of Gouda, in 1758. During his ownership the house was connected with that of Amstel 212a. Hendrik Sandijk rented these large premises in circa 1773-75, while Anna Esther Massieu de Clerval is known to have lived there from circa 1777-1800.
See colour illustration
The technique for which Zeuner became so well-known is called verre églomisé after the French 18th century encadreur Jean-Baptiste Glomy, who used the technique for his glass mounts. This technique had already been described in the 14th century by the Italian Cennino Cennini, Il Libro dell'arte o Trattato della pittura, Padua, undated (reprint, Florence 1859), part 172, p. 123, in Italy it later became known as 'agglomizzato'. The technique is basically brought into practice by pasting leafs of gold and silver behind glass, engraving these, and painting the background afterwards. In later times it was much used in France and Germany, often for the decoration of furniture, but Zeuner appears to be the first specialising in pictures using the technique.
Zeuner's first dated work, showing a monk in conversation with a young woman in a landscape was done in 1770 (exhibition catalogue, 1994, no. 122), while his last dated works were done in 1806. His oeuvre includes allegorical, historical, hunting and genre scenes, marines, landscapes and especially topographical views including country-houses, castles and views of cities in Holland, England and Scotland, often based on compositions by other hands. Some of his topographical views were made in up to four versions, no doubt because of the great demand for these extraordinary works of art in an unusual technique.
Within Zeuner's oeuvre, his views of Amsterdam are certainly among the best and constitute a large part of his work. The earliest dated view among these was done in 1773, the latest is dated 1796 (exhibition catalogue, 1994, nos. 28 and 151). The group includes works with the most famous views along Amsterdam canals, incorporating well-known churches and towers such as the Munttoren seen from the Singel and from the Binnenamstel, the Keizersgracht with the Westerkerk, and the Jan Roodenpoortstoren on the Singel.
The present lot, Zeuner's largest known work, is dated 1776, and is among his more unusual views of Amsterdam, the only one dated to that year. This and the fact that no model for this composition is known may indicate that it was commissioned especially and that the composition could be the artist's own invention. Zeuner used his own methods to create perspective, which is well illustrated by the widening of the quay of the Herengracht in the present lot.
The Herengracht was created following the expansion of Amsterdam in the early 17th century. The houses on the Herengracht nos. 594-600 shown on the right in the present lot were constructed between 1670 and 1687. One of the owners or inhabitants of these may have commissioned the present lot in or just before 1776.
In that year Herengracht 594 was owned by Volkert Christoffers (died 1800), while Cornelia Linquet (1723-1801), widow of Joost Zaal, is known to have lived there in 1775, probably until the owner moved there in 1777. In circa 1802-10 the famous collector and business-man Adriaen van der Hoop Jansz. (1778-1854), whose important collection was bequeathed to the City of Amsterdam upon his death, lived there.
Herengracht 596 was in 1776 probably inhabited by Jan Willem Bosé (died 1796), who is known to have rented the house from the Van Baerle family, while in 1777 the widow of the watch and clock maker Rudolf Louis Cresp lived in the house.
Herengracht 598-600 consists of two houses, which were built together with that at Amstel 212a. No. 598 was owned by Hendrik Valkenburg since 1740, who rented it out to Gerbrand Kreyne, living there between circa 1773 and 1781. No. 600 became the property of Bruno van der Goes (1705-1791), burgomaster of Gouda, in 1758. During his ownership the house was connected with that of Amstel 212a. Hendrik Sandijk rented these large premises in circa 1773-75, while Anna Esther Massieu de Clerval is known to have lived there from circa 1777-1800.
See colour illustration