Aert Schouman

Although it no longer has the characteristic brown-painted margin with signature, date and title written in gold, this attractive gouache is, as Charles Dumas has kindly confirmed, consistent with a series of more than fifty topographical watercolours that Schouman made on commission for the Dordrecht patrons Hendrik van Slingelandt (1702-1759) and his son, Barthout van Slingelandt (1731-1798). These watercolours, at some point collected into what must have been a spectacular 'kunstboek', were executed over a lengthy period; examples have survived with dates ranging from 1729 to 1784.¹ In the absence of the original inscription below the image, it has not been possible to identify the stable yard depicted, but it must have belonged to a grand country estate.  

1. Martin van den Broeke, 'Het kunstboek met topografische aquarellen en het mecenaat van Hendrik van Slingelandt', in Een koninklijk paradijs, Aert Schouman en de verbeelding van de natuur, exh. cat., Dordrechts Museum, 2017, pp. 193-229