Pieter Neefs

Provenance: private collection

This painting is representative of the taste in architectural paintings at the time. This style, which was very prevalent in Antwerp, existed since the second half of...

Provenance: private collection

This painting is representative of the taste in architectural paintings at the time. This style, which was very prevalent in Antwerp, existed since the second half of the 16th century with the painter Hendrick van Steenwyck as its figurehead. Hans and Paul Vredeman de Vries published a work in 1604 that influenced the entire notion of perspective. The discovery and the Flemish interpretation of De Architectura by Vitruvius led Netherlandish artists to ponder over architecture and its two-dimensional representation. Based on an optical effect, church interiors rapidly became a common feature in art lovers’ cabinets and met with great success.

The Church interior presented here, is a characteristic painting of this trend in architectural representations. The painter takes us on a visit round the interior of a gothic construction. Just like a math square, the building is subdivided into numerous parts: its width is divided into three naves intersected by two imposing pilasters. The church is also subdivided in depth by the narthex followed by the central nave, the transept and the apse. In order to offer us the most complete view possible, Pieter Neef’s painting points upwards and slightly to the left. With a perfect mastery of the rules of this genre, the painter renders each architectural element visible to the viewer. The broad central nave leads to the jube, which separates the choir from the part reserved for the worshipers. Around the aisles, monks and townsfolk gather in the chapels. The view is as high as it is broad:  the interlocking vaults, as well as the elevation of the columns are captured thanks to a rigorous and cleverly though-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. The building’s highly decorative ornamental tiling gives the panel an inlaid effect, in perfect harmony with Antwerp’s taste for interiors at the time.

Several church interiors painted by the artist currently exist in the collections of prestigious museums. Numerous elements in our composition coincide with the painting of Antwerp Cathedral kept at the Royal Museums of Brussels. Here, Pieter Neefs seems to be inviting us into an imaginary church, based on studies of different buildings from which he drew inspiration in order to compose an idealised, coherent space.  Pieter Neefs shows his perfect mastery of the constructed space which, even after four centuries, continues to captivate us through its effect of grandeur and the subtle poetry that emanates from it.