Lot Essay
Arnold Houbraken, De Groote Schouburgh der Nederlandtsche Konstschilders, 1718-1721, pp.239-242 and J.van Gool, De Nieuwe Schouburg, 1750, p.415, gives accounts of Hoet's life; he was born in Zaltbommel and moved to The Hague in 1672. Later he travelled to Rees near Cleve in order to work for his first patron Salis, who introduced him to de Heer van Zuilen near Utrecht, he was subsequently sent to Paris. Afer his return he settled in Utrecht where he founded an Academy in 1697. In 1714 he finally moved back to The Hague, where he found an enthusiastic clientele for his Kabinetstukjes (Van Gool, p.415: "Het kunstwek, dat hy voor die Heeren maekte, bestont meest in kabinetstukjes met historische en Poetische verbeelding"), of which the present lot can be considered a characteristic example.