Studio of Jacob Adriaensz. Backer Harlingen 1608 - 1651 Amsterdam

Probably Andreas Achenbach (1815-1910), Düsseldorf,
Sold, Berlin, 17 November 1910, as B. van der Helst (with signature),
With W. Huber;
Private collection Berlin (as attributed to G. Lundens, according to Martin, 1933).

H. Meyer, Kleine Schriften zur Kunst, Heilbron 1886, p. 229, note;
K. Bauch, Jakob Adriaensz Backer, ein Rembrandtschüler aus Friesland, Berlin 1926, p. 100, no. 232;
W. Martin, 'Backers Korporaalschap uit den Kloveniersdoelen zie Amsterdam', in: Oud-­Holland, Vol. 50, 1933, p. 220;
A. Blankert with contributions by R. Ruurs, Amsterdams Historisch Museum; schilderijen daterend van voor 1800, Amsterdam 1975-9, pp. 19-21, no. 18 (all three above as by Gerrit Lundens).

This painting is a reduced contemporary copy after Jacob Adriaensz. Backer’s famous composition in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, (inv. no. C1174). The original was most probably painted for Captain Cornelis de Graeff or Lieutenant Hendrik Lauwersz. in 1642 and was one of the three Civic Guard portraits commissioned for the new room in the Kloveniersdoelen, including Rembrandt’s Nightwatch. The composition of the present painting has been slightly extended on all sides, and differs from the original in several respects. On the right hand side is an additional portrait of a man. Martin (see Literature) suggested that this could be a self-portrait of Backer himself. The two elegantly dressed boys on the left of the picture are also not depicted in the Rijksmuseum version. It may well be that these are the children of one of the members of the company, and if so, it is likely, as Middelkoop has suggested, that the present painting was commissioned as a replica with these additions from Backer’s workshop.

The other persons represented are (from left to right); Joachim Jansen Schepemaker, Teunis Jansen Visch and Jan Gerritsz. van Leeuwaerden, (sergeants), Marten Canter, Hans van der Elst, Warnar Wiggertzen, Adam Gerritzen, Hendrick Janzen, Hendrick Rijckzen, Elias de Haes, Cornelis Cornelissen Karseboom, Barent van Bruyninckwinckel, Willem Janzen van Middellum, Hendrick Pauwels Jan Gerritzen Parys, Gerrit Brauningh Koeckebacker, Hendrick Aertzen de Keyzer, Jan Jacobsz Lantsman, Willem Janzen Buys, Jan Evertzen van Heerden and Jan Evertzen Mattys.

We are grateful to Norbert Middelkoop, curator of the Amsterdams Historisch Museum for suggesting an attribution to Jacob Adriaensz. Backer on the basis of first hand inspection. This painting is also accompanied by an expertise of Dr. W. Bernt, dated 1965, as by Gerrit Lundens, who is known to have painted a copy of Rembrandt’s Nightwatch.