Provenance: private collection
Since the middle of the 16th century, a growing taste in church interiors had begun to develop in Antwerp. This type of work expanded under the rule of Hendrick...
read moreProvenance: private collection
Since the middle of the 16th century, a growing taste in church interiors had begun to develop in Antwerp. This type of work expanded under the rule of Hendrick van Steenwijk. This magnificent copper of impeccable quality was painted by his son, whose homonymy serves as a guarantee for its excellence. This taste for church interiors was part of the wider research carried out by Flemish artists to discover and study perspective. The palaces and mannerist follies painted by Hans and Paul Vredeman de Vries for the court of Prague were thus published in a work in 1604, entirely dedicated to perspective. The discovery and the Flemish translation of De Architectura by Vitruvius, led Netherlandish artists to ponder over architecture and its two-dimensional representation. Based on an optical effect, church interiors became highly successful and were soon in demand to decorate art lovers’ cabinets.
Our Interior of a Gothic Cathedral is a characteristic painting of this trend in architectural representations. The painter takes us on a visit of the interior of a gothic construction. Steenwijk makes every element of architecture visible: from the nave’s pilasters to the aisles, from the imposing altarpiece to the apse, as well as the elegant gothic arches. The view is as high as it is broad. The gothic style represents an elevation towards heaven: the interlocking vaults, as well as the impressive colonnade are captured thanks to a rigorous and cleverly thought-out effect of contrasts and colours. Small figures, distributed throughout the various parts of the church, punctuate the architectural elements, imbuing the entire painting with a lively and cheerful atmosphere. All classes of society have their place here: gentlefolk, vagabonds, priests and peasants all gather together in a place that extols universality. Highly decorative and essential in the rendering of perspective, the edifice’s ornamental tiling gives the panel an inlaid effect, in perfect harmony with the taste of Antwerp interiors at that time.
Several church interiors painted by the artist currently exist in the collections of prestigious museums. For instance, there is the work in the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg: though smaller, its architectural layout is just as interesting. The Louvre has five similar works in its collections. They allow us to understand our artist’s highly delicate work. Bathed in light or plunged into shade, lit by the midday sun or the fiery rays of the setting sun, the stone naves painted by Steenwijk amaze and delight the viewer through the contrasting light, the precision of the architecture and the sheer vitality of the paintings. The fruit of a vast know-how in terms of perspective, this painting transcends mere technique to become a magnificent spiritual testimony, an open window on life in Flanders at the end of the 16th century.
Frankfurt c. 1580 – London c. 1642
Hendrick van Steenwijk the Younger was the son and pupil of the architectural painter, Hendrick van Steenwijk the Elder (c.1550-1603). After having worked in...
read moreFrankfurt c. 1580 – London c. 1642
Hendrick van Steenwijk the Younger was the son and pupil of the architectural painter, Hendrick van Steenwijk the Elder (c.1550-1603). After having worked in Antwerp, The Hague and Frankfurt, he settled in London from 1617 to 1637, a period during which he was protected by King Charles I. He painted architectural backgrounds for portraits by Anthony van Dyck and Daniel Mijtens.
He adopted his father’s subjects and painted recurring themes such as church interiors and external views of palaces, as well as prisons in the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist, the Imprisonment of Saint Peter and Saint Jerome in his Study.
In addition, he focused on a small number of refined architectural fantasies inspired by the perspective studies of Hans and Paul Vredeman de Vries. Steenwijk’s paintings tend to be lighter, with more delicate architectural structures positioned around the edges of the painting, leaving a large central space free. This innovative organisation of the space is the artist’s most significant contribution to the development of architectural painting.
Steenwijk often worked with figure painters from Antwerp, such as Jan Brueghel the Elder, who provided material for a number of his paintings, as well as Gonzales Coques, Frans Francken the Younger, Cornelis van Poelenburgh and Adriaen van Stalbempt.
