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Lot Essay
Born in Amersfoort, Van Wittel trained with the still-life and landscape painter Matthias Withoos. In 1672 he followed his master to Hoorn where he stayed until 1673. Possibly inspired by the stories of his teacher, who worked in Italy in 1651-53, Van Wittel travelled to the Southern peninsula in 1674 and he is first recorded working there in January 1675. In Italy, he soon established himself as a pioneer of Italian vedute painting, model to later Roman vedutisti.
Although mainly focusing on Italian landscape and townscapes, Van Wittel did execute a small number of views of towns from his native Holland. The view of Hoorn (lot 67), signed and dated 1712, and this view of Amersfoort, are such examples. For both of them studies have been preserved, each now in the Museo di San Martino, Naples (inv. 23907 and 20894; see G. Briganti, Gaspar van Wittel, Milan, 1996, nos. D263 and D266, the latter illustrated) and the gouaches follow the drawings closely apart from some minor details. Briganti suggested that these drawings are idealised Dutch views made in Italy. It is quite possible, however, that Van Wittel had made the drawings before his departure for Italy and relied on them for the gouaches. Three further Dutch views are known, all of Amersfoort: one is now in the Gabinetto dei Disegni e delle Stampe degli Uffizi, Florence (inv. F.C. 125174; Briganti, op. cit., no. D357); a second is in the Reggia di Caserta, Naples; and a third is in the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich (Van den Braber, op. cit., pp. 14 and 15 respectively).
The present views, drawn with brilliant and cool colours, display an extraordinary degree of detail in the architecture, the shipping and the figures. This lends them a realistic appearance, but both are much less true-to-life than appears at first sight: Van Wittel cleverly mixes real topographical elements with imaginary buildings. As described by Cor van den Braber, the view of Amersfoort is shown from the Eem river with the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren (The tower of Our Lady) and the town-hall with its distinctive dome in the background, while the house on the left might be based on the 17th-century estate Hoogerhuis. However, the houses to the left of the towered wall, the two church towers right of the tower of the city-wall as well as the building with the blue roof appear to be added from the artist's imagination.
Although mainly focusing on Italian landscape and townscapes, Van Wittel did execute a small number of views of towns from his native Holland. The view of Hoorn (lot 67), signed and dated 1712, and this view of Amersfoort, are such examples. For both of them studies have been preserved, each now in the Museo di San Martino, Naples (inv. 23907 and 20894; see G. Briganti, Gaspar van Wittel, Milan, 1996, nos. D263 and D266, the latter illustrated) and the gouaches follow the drawings closely apart from some minor details. Briganti suggested that these drawings are idealised Dutch views made in Italy. It is quite possible, however, that Van Wittel had made the drawings before his departure for Italy and relied on them for the gouaches. Three further Dutch views are known, all of Amersfoort: one is now in the Gabinetto dei Disegni e delle Stampe degli Uffizi, Florence (inv. F.C. 125174; Briganti, op. cit., no. D357); a second is in the Reggia di Caserta, Naples; and a third is in the Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich (Van den Braber, op. cit., pp. 14 and 15 respectively).
The present views, drawn with brilliant and cool colours, display an extraordinary degree of detail in the architecture, the shipping and the figures. This lends them a realistic appearance, but both are much less true-to-life than appears at first sight: Van Wittel cleverly mixes real topographical elements with imaginary buildings. As described by Cor van den Braber, the view of Amersfoort is shown from the Eem river with the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren (The tower of Our Lady) and the town-hall with its distinctive dome in the background, while the house on the left might be based on the 17th-century estate Hoogerhuis. However, the houses to the left of the towered wall, the two church towers right of the tower of the city-wall as well as the building with the blue roof appear to be added from the artist's imagination.