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Lot Essay
Klinkenberg, the painter of Dutch towns, cities and hamlets was known as the 'Dutch Canaletto' amongst his critics. He was famous for his typical Dutch picturesque streets with houses with ornate gables and red bricks, cheered with bright sunshine, from his beloved The Hague, his birthplace or from Amsterdam also known as the Venice from the North of which the present work is a strong example. It is also unusual to find figures in his street scenes. Klinkenberg preferred to depict a portrait of a town and let the streets speak for themselves. This was not unlike Weissenbruch's oeuvre : "...for Weis has oft vowed
He'd paint but few figures, and never a crowd
A man with a rod, a man with a gun
Or carrying a faggot, or else he'd have none"
(see M. Rooses, Dutch Painters of the Nineteenth Century, Vol II, London, 1899, p. 128).
Early in his career he painted several historical works, i.e The Siege of Leyden, however, after a trip to North Brabant he became focused mainly on street views.
Although the artist made several trips abroad he never 'portrayed' foreign towns, in his own words : 'I will go home and give the world pictures of old Dutch towns, Dutch monuments, Dutch streets, painted by a Dutch hand' (op. cit, p. 130).
He'd paint but few figures, and never a crowd
A man with a rod, a man with a gun
Or carrying a faggot, or else he'd have none"
(see M. Rooses, Dutch Painters of the Nineteenth Century, Vol II, London, 1899, p. 128).
Early in his career he painted several historical works, i.e The Siege of Leyden, however, after a trip to North Brabant he became focused mainly on street views.
Although the artist made several trips abroad he never 'portrayed' foreign towns, in his own words : 'I will go home and give the world pictures of old Dutch towns, Dutch monuments, Dutch streets, painted by a Dutch hand' (op. cit, p. 130).