A Village Kermesse

The artist, active in Amsterdam, is known for his paintings of Biblical and historical subjects in a style reminiscent of the Pre-Rembrandtists such as Pieter Lastman and Nicolaes Moeyaert. That Colijns also painted kermesses is clear from the references in inventories: a boerekermis by Colyns gedaen is listed in the inventory of Maillard Brest of Amsterdam in 1648 (see A. Bredius, Kýnstler - Inventare, etc., 1915-1922, IV, p.1234) and een Boere Kermis van Kolyn was offered as lot 63 in the Catharina van Hunthum (+) sale, Amsterdam, 22 April ff.1762 (Lugt, n01220). A pen and ink drawing of a kermesse was offered in the G. B(raamcamp) and J. Gosche van Oudshoorn sale, Amsterdam, 29 February 1768, lot 294 (Lugt, n01660). The subject of the kermesse derives from Flemish prototypes by Brueghel and Van Cleve. This tradition was further developed in Haarlem in the early 17th century by artists such as Dirck Hals and Esaias van de Velde. Both in composition and in colour scheme, the present lot shows the influence of both these painters.
Sold with a certificate by Willem van de Watering, dated 18 November 1988.