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DUTCH CITYSCAPES IN THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES The present selection of Old Master Pictures comprises a group of city views, ranging from the 1650s until the end of the eighteenth century. The most famous artists who worked in this genre - Jan van der Heyden, Gerrit Berckheyde, Jan ten Compe, Jan Ekels and Isaak Ouwater - are all represented in the sale. There was a long standing tradition of painting city views in Dutch art; even by the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, topographical motifs were to be found in Netherlandish painting. Recognizable buildings or architecture often served as background decor in religious or historical paintings or in portraits. The architecture of the surroundings of the Binnen- and Buitenhof in The Hague for instance (see lot 1229) appeared as early as the fifteenth century in the anonymous Dutch panel of the Tibertine Sybil prophesying Christ's Arrival, now in the Städelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt (C. Dumas, Haagse stadsgezichten 1550-1800 Topografische schilderijen van het Haags Historisch Museum, Zwolle, 1991, p. 13, fig. 1). In the first half of the seventeenth century, artists such as Jan van Goyen, Salomon van Ruysdael and Anthonie van der Croos produced panoramic landscapes with city views on the horizon. Although the profiles of the cities with their distinctive features were clearly recognizable, they still served merely as parts of the actual subjects: the landscapes themselves. About the same time, Joost Cornelisz. Droochsloot painted his views of the Neude in Utrecht, where again the buildings were accurately depicted, but served largely as a background for the historical subject: Prince Maurits disbanding the waardgelders (see Anonymous sale, Christie's, Amsterdam, 7 May 1997, lot 9). It was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that the city view as an independent genre came into being. The earliest examples were by Joris van der Haagen in The Hague, Saenredam and the Berckheyde brothers (see lot 1222) in Haarlem, and the Beerstraten brothers and Jan van der Heyden (see lot 1227) in Amsterdam. They produced, in large quantities, views of streets and squares, churches and bridges and other landmarks, often thereby showing a sample-card of modern architecture of their time. In their works, the city view itself became the principal subject, no longer serving as decor or as a background for a historical or religious scene. The main features of their art were the meticulous rendition of the cobblestones, brickwork, masonry and foliage, as well as the capturing of the light and atmosphere effect, most notably in the oeuvre of Jan van der Heyden. Although normally a high level of verisimilitude was achieved, it was not uncommon for artists to combine elements of different cities, or slightly to amend details of buildings and architecture, if it suited the composition. Van der Heyden in particular, was well known for his fantasy elements in existing views; he also created entirely fantastic views. Although there was a continuous production of topographical drawings throughout the eighteenth century, the demand for similar paintings died down until the second half of the eighteenth century. Although the eighteenth-century artists, the most famous being Jan ten Compe (lots 1221 and 1229) and Isaak Ouwater (lots 1211, 1216, 1218 and 1225) clearly drew inspiration from their seventeenth-century predessors, their works stand firmly rooted in their own time, with light palettes, elegant staffage and minute rendering of the details. In general, they painted topographically correct views, with virtually no adjustments for the sake of the composition. Although it is known for certain that many cityscapes were commissioned by the owners of the buildings depicted, they must also have been produced for the open market. Jan van der Heyden for instance, painted no less than six views of Goudesteyn, some of which remained in his property and were inherited by his wife after he died.

Isaak Ouwater (Amsterdam 1748-1793)

The Singel, Amsterdam, with the Munttoren

Details

Isaak Ouwater (Amsterdam 1748-1793)
The Singel, Amsterdam, with the Munttoren
signed and dated 'Ik:Ouwater Fecit 177.' (lower right)
oil on canvas
38.1 x 46.2 cm. (15 x 18¼ in.).

Provenance

Anonymous sale; Christie's, London, 13 April 1984, lot 88, as dated 1777.
With Des Lyons-Coulemonde-Samson, Paris, 1988, as dated 1777.
Anonymous sale; Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, 25 June 1991, lot 24, as dated 1777 (to Dreesmann).
Dr Anton C.R. Dreesmann (inventory no. A-80).

Special notice

Christie's charges a Buyer's premium calculated at 20.825% of the hammer price for each lot with a value up to €90,000. If the hammer price of a lot exceeds €90,000 then the premium for the lot is calculated at 20.825% of the first €90,000 plus 11.9% of any amount in excess of €90,000. Buyer's Premium is calculated on this basis for each lot individually.

Lot Essay

Dating to circa 1490, the Munttoren was originally built as the western tower of the Regulierspoort. Heavily damaged after a fire in 1618, the upper part was rebuilt to a design by Hendrick de Keyser. When, in 1672, the city of Amsterdam was given the right to strike its own coinage, the actual coins were struck in the guardhouse next to the tower, that thereby became known by its current name, which means 'Mint Tower'. The original storm-indicator was a gilt ox, so designed because the Regulierpoort used to be the gate through which cattle were driven towards the Ossenmarkt in the Kalverstraat. During a huge storm in 1640, the ox was blown into the Singel and replaced by the cockerel visible in the present lot (see J.H. Kruizinga and J.A. Banning, Amsterdam van A tot Z, Amsterdam, 1966, p. 323).

For the artist, see the note to lot 1225.

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