19th Century European Paintings including Spanish Painting 1850 - 1930

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Lot 328
  • 328

Willem Koekkoek Dutch, 1839-1895

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Description

  • Willem Koekkoek
  • A street in Vianen, Holland
  • signed W. Koekkoek l.r.
  • oil on canvas
  • 54 by 70cm., 21 1/4 by 27 1/2 in.

Provenance

Sale: Sotheby's, London, 19 November 2002, lot 139
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Literature

Susanne Weide and Dick Adelaar, Vianen, werkelijkheid en fantasie, Stedelijk Museum Vianen, exh. cat., 2002, p. 110, pl. XIV, illustrated in colour

Catalogue Note

A Street in Vianen depicts the Landpoort and the southern façade of the Grote Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) beyond. The Landpoort, originally one of Vianen's four city gates, today no longer stands. Typically, Willem Koekkoek's is not a topographically exact view, but rather a romantic mixture of reality and fantasy, in which actual monuments provide the framework for poetic licence.

Willem Koekkoek was the second son of Hermanus Koekkoek (1815-82). Unlike his father and grandfather, the famous marine painters, Willem specialised exclusively in Dutch town views. The present work exemplifies Koekkoek's keen attention to architectural detail, vivid juxtaposition of colour, and masterful observation of light and shadow.

Fig. 1, the same view in winter by Willem Koekkoek (location unknown)