The Interior of the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam

Provenance

(Sale, Philippus van der Schley et al. at Arnoldus Dankmeyer & Son, Amsterdam, 14-15 August 1793, no. 215); Fouquet, Amsterdam; (sale, Philippus van der Schley et al. at Huis van Trip, Amsterdam, 7-8 May 1804, no. 194). E.W. Walker;[1] (sale, Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 10 April 1883, no. 123); Lesser.[2] John Femor-Hesketh, Towcaster, Northamptonshire. (Mortimer Brandt, New York), by 1951/1952 until at least 1963. (Noortman & Brod, New York), by 1981. Saul P. and Gayfryd Steinberg, New York; (sale, Christie, Manson & Woods, New York, 12 January 1996, no. 197); private collection, New York; purchased 17 November 2004 through (Gurr-Johns, London) by NGA. [1] E.W. Walker is the vendor's name originally written under stock number 332R in Christie's daybook for the 1883 sale, but it is crossed out and "Miss Maples" is written above it, so it is not certain who the seller was. This information was kindly supplied by Marijke Booth of Christie's Archives Department (e-mail of 13 December 2005, in NGA curatorial files). [2] The name of the buyer, originally given to the NGA as "Legge," was kindly corrected by Marijke Booth of Christie's Archives Department (e-mail of 8 December 2005, in NGA curatorial files).

The Interior of the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam

Witte, Emanuel de

c. 1660

Accession Number

2004.127.1

Medium

oil on canvas

Dimensions

overall: 80.5 x 100 cm (31 11/16 x 39 3/8 in.) | framed: 122.6 x 141.1 x 7.3 cm (48 1/4 x 55 9/16 x 2 7/8 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

National Gallery of Art

Washington, D.C., United States

Credit Line

Patrons' Permanent Fund

Tags

Painting Baroque (1600–1750) Oil Painting Canvas Dutch

Background & Context

Background Story

Emanuel de Witte (1617-1692) was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his church interiors that combine precise architectural rendering with atmospheric light effects in the manner that distinguishes his work from the more austere church interiors of Pieter Saenredam. The Interior of the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam from c. 1660 depicts the interior of Amsterdam's Old Church in the atmospheric, light-filled manner that distinguishes de Witte's best church interiors from Saenredam's more austere treatment. The c. 1660 date places this in de Witte's Amsterdam period, when he was producing the church interiors that are his most accomplished works.

Cultural Impact

The Interior of the Oude Kerk is important in the history of Dutch architectural painting because it demonstrates the atmospheric treatment of church interiors that distinguishes de Witte from the more austere Saenredam. De Witte's atmospheric light effects—the patches of sunlight on the church floor, the shadows cast by columns—create a type of church interior that is simultaneously precise and atmospheric, distinguishing his work from Saenredam's more abstract treatment of the same subject.

Why It Matters

The Interior of the Oude Kerk is de Witte's atmospheric church interior: Amsterdam's Old Church rendered with precise architectural detail combined with atmospheric light effects that distinguish his work from Saenredam's more austere treatment. The c. 1660 painting shows Dutch architectural painting at its most atmospheric.