MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF AMSTERDAM
“Amstelodamum”, etching with engraving on four mounted sheets made by Pieter van den Berge (1659-1737) after the design by Johannes Kip and first published around 1685 by Justus Danckerts, here in an edition by Leon Schenk of 1690. Coloured by a later hand. Size: 63,2 x 107 cm.
Unlike earlier profiles of Amsterdam, the artist here brings a few large ships to the foreground, with the city lying beneath a high sky against the horizon. The fishermen in the front on the left with their enormous baskets add to the couleur locale, while the rowing yacht on the right with a distinguished company suggests an impending meeting on the large warship that is just furling its sails.
In addition to the many elaborately engraved ships on the IJ (the body of water through which Amsterdam connects to the Zuiderzee), we see from left to right the East India Shipyard and Lijnbanen (where rope was made), the East India Warehouse, the Oosterkerk (Eastern Chruch), the Muiderpoort (city gate leading towards the city of Muiden), the Lands Zeemagazijn (wharehouse of the admiralty), the Portuguese Synagogue, the Oude West-Indisch Pakhuis (old warehouse of the Dutch West India Company), the Montelbaanstoren (a tower of the former city walls), Schreierstoren (also a tower of the former city walls), Zuiderkerk, Munt Tower, the Old Chapel on the Oudezijdsvoorburgwal, the Oudekerk (Old Church), the stock exchange, the house with the turret on Texelse Kade, the Town Hall, the Nieuwekerk (New Church, partly hidden behind a ship), St. Jacob’s Chapel, the Jan Roodenpoort Tower, the Nieuwe Stadsherberg (new city inn), the Ronde Lutherse Kerk (Round Lutheran Church), the Haringpakkerstoren and tower of the Westerkerk, the Oude Stadsherberg (old city inn) and Yacht Harbour, the Noorderkerk (Northern Church), and the Haarlemmerpoort (the city gate towards Haarlem).
The ribbon with the title is adorned with an allegory of Amsterdam’s fame as a trading city, featuring the god Mercury with a winged hat and staff, and the goddess Pheme with a trumpet. Cupids hold the city seal and crowned city coat of arms.
The view is based on a larger (92 x 162 cm) engraving made by Johannes Kip, an engraver and art dealer with his shop in the Hartenstraat.
The Amsterdam city archives hold a copy of the first edition of the print with a poem praising the city below the view: Amsterdam, the city of cities, lies beautifully by the water. Enriched by trade with spices from the Moluccas and grain from Poland. The city boasts magnificent buildings, of which the Town Hall is the most beautiful. It is a city whose citizens are governed by wise regents.
Provenance:
- Collectie Abel Antoon Kok (1881-1951), met verzamelaars etiket aan verso zijde
Literature:
- Auction catalogue Collectie R.W.P. de Vries – Oud- en Nieuw Amsterdam (1925), lot no. 123 (result NLG 550 + 15% commission = NLG 633)
- Repertorium van de profielen der stad Amsterdam, A.E. d’Ailly (1953), no. 148
- Christie’s auction catalogue Collectie Leonhardt (1989), lot no. 21 (result NLG 8.500 + 16% commission = NLG 9.860)
- Het aanzien van Amsterdam, Boudewijn Bakker en Erik Schmitz (2007), no. 65B
Price: EUR 8.500,-
