Abraham van Strij

The actual painting is a little less red in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The single panel is flat and stable and bevelled on all sides. Three small dents, resulting in paint losses are visible in the background in the courtyard, in the stairs lower centre left and upper centre right. Small spots of retouching and minor strengthening can be observed throughout, e.g. in the stairs, in the drapery centre left, and in the clothes of the figures. The paint surface is covered with a thick and glossy layer of varnish. Inspection under ultra violet light confirms the aforesaid retouchings and reveals additional tiny retouchings along the right edge. Offered in a decorative plaster and gilt wood frame, with a few losses. (MW)
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In this 18th Century interior scene of a maid eavesdropping on an amorous couple, we can see to what extent Abraham van Strij was inspired by the masters of the 17th Century, especially by the interiors of Pieter de Hooch (1629-1683/4).  He was already compared to De Hooch by an English art lover in 1819 who, when visiting Van Strij's workshop, described him thus:  '[he] may justly be called the modern Peter de Hoog'.¹ It was not only Van Strij's choice of subject matter that was influenced by De Hooch, but also his use of light. The bright, light atmosphere in this scene is very typical of both artists, as is the composition with the see-through into the courtyard. Besides De Hooch, Van Strij may also have looked at his former townsman Nicolaes Maes (1634-1693) who painted the same subject of a maid eavesdropping on a staircase more than 100 years earlier.

1. See E.J. Sluijter in: In helder licht, Abraham en Jacob van Strij, Hollandse Meesters van landschap en interieur omstreeks 1800, Zwolle 2000, p. 119, note 46.