Simon Fokke (1712-1784)

A View of Delft after the Explosion of the Gunpowder Arsenal on 12 October 1654

Details

Simon Fokke (1712-1784)
A View of Delft after the Explosion of the Gunpowder Arsenal on 12 October 1654
signed and dated 'S Fokke fec. 1754.' (recto) and inscribed 'Gezigt van delft nadat de Kruijt tooren gesprongen was, na het originele Stuk geschildert door van der Poel na het leven.' (verso)
black lead, pen and grey ink, watercolour, grey ink framing lines, a small part at the central left edge re-attached, framed
155 x 195 mm.

Provenance

H. Hamal (not with his stamp).
R.P. Goldschmidt (L. 2926); Prestel, Frankfurt, 4-11 October 1917, lot 216 (Nlg. 70 to Meyer Elte).

Lot Essay

In 1573 William of Orange decided to build a storage for the States' artillery, arms and gunpowder in and near Delft, which were put in use in the years to follow. On 12 October 1654 five severe explosions were heard, killing at least 100 people, wounding an estimated 1,000 people and destroying some 200 houses. Egbert van der Poel (1621-1664) painted the aftermath of the explosion many times, and Fokke's inscription on the present drawing proves that it is based on one of these paintings. A drawing of the same subject by Herman Saftleven was sold in these Rooms, 14 November 1994, lot 97, illustrated, and now is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

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