Herman Henstenburgh
Two sheets of studies of butterflies and moths
Auction Closed
July 3, 10:51 AM GMT
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
Herman Henstenburg
(Hoorn 1667 - 1726)
Two sheets of studies of butterflies and moths:
A) Butterflies, moths and a fly
B) Butterflies and moths
Both gouache and watercolour on paper (A); on vellum (B);
signed with the artist's monogram, in black chalk, lower left: HB. fe= (A)
A) 229 by 285 mm
B) 200 by 281 mm
(2)
Herman Henstenburgh was one of three notable still-life and natural history artists from Hoorn, who established that town as a centre for their very distinctive, highly detailed and decorative watercolor and gouache style. All three also famously followed parallel careers as pastry-bakers. The eldest of the these artists was Johannes Bronckhorst (1648-1727), who was Herman Henstenburgh's teacher as both artist and baker. The trio was completed by Herman's son, Anton Henstenburgh (1695-1781).
According to the near-contemporary chronicler, Johan van Gool, Henstenburgh started out by depicting birds and landscapes, and then broadened his repertoire after about 1695 to include flowers and fruit pieces. Van Gool went on to explain the extraordinary richness of Henstenburgh's colors by claiming that the artist had invented a new type of watercolour.
Henstenburgh executed many sheets of studies of insects and butterflies, creating very pleasing mise-en page arrangements like the present examples.
See also the following lot.
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