Hendrick van Steenwyck the Younger, 'The Interior of a Gothic Church looking East', after 1609
About the work
Overview
This view of the interior of a Gothic church is painted from a relatively low viewpoint, making it feel like we are stood in the main aisle – a boy nearby has even noticed us. The artist has created the illusion that we are looking into a vast space: the receding parallel lines of the floor and architecture draw the eye down the nave towards the choir. This is most likely an imaginary church, and similar views with minor variations appear in several paintings by the same artist (for example in the National Gallery of Denmark, Copenhagen).
Other painters frequently added the figures in van Steenwyck’s compositions, but here the visitors in the right foreground are probably by the artist himself. The elegantly dressed man and the two women holding hands might be taking part in a wedding ceremony. The gravestone in the foreground bears the date 1609, possibly the date the picture was painted.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Interior of a Gothic Church looking East
- Artist dates
- active by 1604; died 1649
- Date made
- after 1609
- Medium and support
- oil on copper
- Dimensions
- 10.5 × 15.3 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Sir Claude Phillips Bequest, 1924
- Inventory number
- NG4040
- Location
- Not on display
- Collection
- Main Collection
Provenance
Additional information
Text extracted from the ‘Provenance’ section of the catalogue entry in Gregory Martin, ‘National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School: circa 1600–circa 1900’, London 1986; for further information, see the full catalogue entry.
Bibliography
-
1986Martin, Gregory, National Gallery Catalogues: The Flemish School, circa 1600 - circa 1900, London 1986
-
2001
C. Baker and T. Henry, The National Gallery: Complete Illustrated Catalogue, London 2001
About this record
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