.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
In 1850 Bosboom had an established reputation as a painter of church-interiors. In that year he started painting the interior of the Jewish Synagogues in Amsterdam and The Hague. Of the synagogue in Amsterdam at least three detailed versions in oil are known by his hand, the present lot being the smallest (compare with the other versions from 1850, 'Portugese synagoge, Amsterdam' (oil on panel, 67 x 51 cm. See G.H. Marius a.o, Johannes Bosboom, The Hague 1917, ill. 21) and 'Portugese synagoge, Amsterdam' (oil on panel, 62.2 x 50.8 cm. See C.H. Dinkelaar, op.cit., cat.no. S621)). The Portuguese Synagogue of Amsterdam has been described time and again as one of Amsterdam's foremost building, was built after designs by Elias Bouman and consecrated in 1675, and was then the largest synagogue in Western Europe. This Synagogue was one of the most celebrated houses of worship in Europe, its interior was the prototype for numerous synagogues elsewhere.
During his artistic career Bosboom repeated this subject various times, a.o. in 1865 and 1868. Bosboom was impressed with the scale of the building and the light-effects inside. These elements played an important role in his depiction of events in the synagogue. In contrast to his Hague School colleagues, who tried to depict the atmosphere of nature, Bosboom was interested in painting church-interiors. He tried to catch the atmosphere of the Portuguese synagogue during the Sabbath-celebration. Bosboom succeeds in capturing a special moment and emphasises the figures by using the light upon them to draw attention.
In 1917 Bosbooms biographers G.H. Marius and W. Martin wrote the following concerning Bosbooms synagogue-series: 'In dezelfde jaren was het, dat Bosboom de Synagoge vond, het gegeven, waarin hij - als in het Triermotief met zijn schilderen het hoogtepunt zou bereiken. Sinds '50 teekent, aquarelleert en schildert hij de Amsterdamsche en Haagsche synagogen. Zoo men wil, zijn hier de eerste invloeden van Rembrandt herkbaar, zoowel in de soms fantastisch verlichte figuren als in de kleur en allicht later nog meer in de meerdere vrijheid in de verdeeling van licht en schaduw, welke de meer bewegelijke Sabbath-viering, met meer levendigheid dan in de rustig zittende protestantsche gemeente voorkomt, den schilder toelaat, (G.H. Marius a.o., op.cit., p. 40).
During his artistic career Bosboom repeated this subject various times, a.o. in 1865 and 1868. Bosboom was impressed with the scale of the building and the light-effects inside. These elements played an important role in his depiction of events in the synagogue. In contrast to his Hague School colleagues, who tried to depict the atmosphere of nature, Bosboom was interested in painting church-interiors. He tried to catch the atmosphere of the Portuguese synagogue during the Sabbath-celebration. Bosboom succeeds in capturing a special moment and emphasises the figures by using the light upon them to draw attention.
In 1917 Bosbooms biographers G.H. Marius and W. Martin wrote the following concerning Bosbooms synagogue-series: 'In dezelfde jaren was het, dat Bosboom de Synagoge vond, het gegeven, waarin hij - als in het Triermotief met zijn schilderen het hoogtepunt zou bereiken. Sinds '50 teekent, aquarelleert en schildert hij de Amsterdamsche en Haagsche synagogen. Zoo men wil, zijn hier de eerste invloeden van Rembrandt herkbaar, zoowel in de soms fantastisch verlichte figuren als in de kleur en allicht later nog meer in de meerdere vrijheid in de verdeeling van licht en schaduw, welke de meer bewegelijke Sabbath-viering, met meer levendigheid dan in de rustig zittende protestantsche gemeente voorkomt, den schilder toelaat, (G.H. Marius a.o., op.cit., p. 40).