Aert van der Neer

With H. Abels, Cologne, by 1932 and 1936;
Joseph Weld, Lulworth Manor, Dorset, by 1971 (according to Schulz under Literature below);
Private collection, The Netherlands.

W. Schulz, Aert van der Neer, Doornspijk 2002, p. 278, cat. no. 615.

The actual painting is a bit warmer in tone than the illustration suggests. The canvas is relined. The paint surface is flattened and thinness occurs throughout, but especially in the upper half of the composition. No damages are visible to the naked eye and a few discoloured retouchings are visible in the sky. The paint surface is covered with an old and very dirty varnish layer. Inspection under UV-light is largely impeded by the thick varnish, however some minor retouchings and strengthening become apparent in the architecture to the right, the area around the bare tree, the two figures in the centre and some spots lower left. Offered in a gilt wood frame, in good condition. (JD)
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This painting is a fine and characteristic example of Van der Neer's much admired nocturnal landscapes.  Although in the present work, the time of day is still unspecified, either at sunset or after dark, the painting ably illustrates the artist's exceptional talent in rendering light and capturing the subtle definitions of mood and atmosphere.

We are grateful to Dr. Wolfgang Schulz for endorsing the attribution on the basis of photographs. In his opinion, this painting was most probably painted in the late 1640s. From 1643 onwards, Van der Neer occupied himself intensively with the phenomena of illumination and light. In these years, as the result of intensive artistic experimentation, he developed the characteristic moonlit landscape.¹ The second half of the 1640s was also the most productive period in Van der Neer's life. Despite the many evening and night scenes that comprise his oeuvre, each one is unique and displays a different mood. This painting is conceived on a grander scale than most of his nocturnes. In it Van der Neer has used a variety of warm brown and ochre tones to create a remarkable sense of space. The reflections of the moonlight not only touch the surface of the river, but also gently highlight the figures on the fence, the tree trunks and the willow stump, creating a unifying sense of atmosphere.

1. See Schulz under Literature, p. 37.