Johannes Christiaan Karel Klinkenberg Dutch 1852-1924

(probably) Goupil & Cie, The Hague, inv.no. 9257, 6 August 1874, sold to S.H. Boddington(?) for Guilders 145,-, as Hospice à La Haye (cf. sale-ledgers Goupil, R.K.D., The Hague)

Executed circa 1873

A slightly larger canvas with identical architectural components is kept in the collection of the Museum Mesdag, The Hague (inv.no. 168). However, the staffage in the museum version is radically different from the present lot and consists of three orphan girls in contemporary dress about to enter the gate. Interestingly enough, X-ray research revealed that Klinkenberg had changed the original staffage by overpainting a group of figures, wearing historical costumes, situated on the lower left. With the recent discovery of the present lot we can now visualise the initial appearance of the version in the Museum Mesdag.

The reasons Klinkenberg had for changing the composition are open to speculation. Around 1875 he established his reputation with several historical subjects. Not much later he discovered that his real strength lay in townscapes, which became his specialisation from then on. The present lot must have been painted just before his move away from history and genre painting in order to devote his talent to serene, sundrenched town views, which were more in demand.

The Mesdag Museum has expressed the wish to exhibit both the above mentioned versions in a presentation that will be held in the summer of 2004.

Cf. literature: Hanna Pennock a.o., Museum Mesdag. Catalogue of Paintings and Drawings, Zwolle 1996, no. 168, pp. 249-250; Drs. E.A. Kallenborn, Verslagonderzoek naar Klinkenberg’s Hofje van Van Dam, October 2000, Archives Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Amsterdam