Jan van der Heyden

By descent to the artist's son, Jan van der Heyden;
G.J. Maxwell Lefroy, Itchen Manor, Hants, England;
Arthur M. Grenfell, Esq., London;
By whom sold, London, Christie's, 26 June 1914, lot 16, there purchased by Coureau;
With Julius Böhler, Munich, 1915;
Anonymous sale ("Property of a Midwest Private Collector"), New York, Sotheby's, 12 January 1989, lot 118, unsold;
Anonymous sale, New York, Christie's, 29 January 1998, lot 109;
There purchased by the present collector.

Oud Holland, XXX, 1912, p. 134;
C. Hofstede de Groot, A Catalogue raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch Painters of the Seventeenth Century, London 1927, VIII, p. 350, cat. no. 72;
H. Wagner, Jan van der Heyden 1637-1712, 1971, pp. 95-96, cat. no 128, reproduced p. 95, no. 128 (as by Jan van der Heyden, with figures executed by Adriaen van de Velde);
G. Schwarz, "Jan van der Heyden and the Huydecopers of Maarssenveen,"  in The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal, vol. II, 1983, p. 217, note 62;
P. C. Sutton, Jan van der Heyden (1637-1712), exhibition catalogue, Greenwich, Ct. 2006, p. 62, note 85.

The following condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's. This panel is made from a single, unbroken piece of oak. The paint layer is stable. Retouches have been applied in the sky addressing a horizontal wood grain which had become more evident. In the landscape and architecture, although some of the original colors read quite brightly it seems that only the standing cow has received any retouches of any note. It is also possible that the profiles of the trees and the towers on the far left have received some retouching. The painting looks well and could be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The country estate, Goudestein, was located on the river Vecht near Maarssen and Maarsseveen.  The Vecht had become a popular site with Amsterdam's wealthy citizens upon which to build their country houses.  Goudestein, which was built for the powerful Huydecoper family, was one of the grandest.  At the time this view was painted, it belonged to Joan Huydecoper II who inherited the position of Lord of Maarsseveen and Neerdijk following his father's death in 1661.  He was a member of the Amsterdam Town Council, became a director of the East India Company in 1666 and burgomaster in 1673.  During this time, he was an important patron and supporter of both Jan van der Heyden and his brother, Nicolaas.  Through Joan II's auspices, Jan was appointed supervisor of street lighting in Amsterdam and later, with his brother, head of firefighting.  These careers, in fact, proved far more lucrative for Jan than his artistic one.

Van der Heyden painted at least six views of Goudestein from different aspects of which two are dated in the years 1666 and 1674.¹ Two views were listed in the 1712 inventory listing of the artist's widow and the present work is thought to be identifiable with one of these two.²  The Goudestein house depicted by van der Heyden was eventually torn down and rebuilt in 1754.  The house remained in the Huydecoper family until 1955 when it was sold to the town of Maarssen and now serves as the Town Hall.

 

1.  See Wagner, op.cit., cat. nos. 129 and 125 (Wellington Museum, Apsley House).
2.  Hofstede de Groot, op.cit., identifies the present painting as possibly no. 34 of the inventory while Wagner, op.cit., identifies it as possibly no. 35, both of which were designated for the painter's son, Jan:  "De plaats van Goudestein, van voore klyn [The place of Goudestein, in front small], no. 34, in the share of Jan Jr.; and "Ditto van Achteren klein, met leist" [The same from the back small, with frame].