Nicolaes Berchem - Abendliche Ruinenlandschaft mit rastenden Bauern und Vieh
auction 390, Lot 567
Gemälde und Graphiken 15. – 20. Jh.
on 3 December 2020
Nicolaes Berchem
Abendliche Ruinenlandschaft mit rastenden Bauern und Vieh
Differenzbesteuerung
Nicolaes Berchem
1621/22 Haarlem - 1683 Amsterdam
Evening Landscape with ruins, resting Peasants and Cattle
Signed lower right, dated 1643 in the lower right corner. Oil on panel. 48 x 63.5 cm. Restored. Minor damage. Framed.
Nicolaes Berchem was an important, very versatile Dutch artist. First he worked on the landscapes of his home country, later he painted mainly Italian sceneries, sometimes with mythological and biblical subjects. His earlier works of art - as well as the present painting - are characterized by a golden blond (W. Bernt) tone, which later on should be clearly coloured and brightened.
The present painting was created before the artists stay in Italy, but already characterizes his compositional principles. Berchems paintings should always vary these compositions with dominant rock and ruin depictions, which are enlivened with figures. Berchem found models for his ruins - before he got to know the countless ancient ruins of Italy - also in his Dutch homeland. The ruins of Brederode Castle in North Holland, for example, served as a model for his paintings, as did later on the remains of Roman aqueducts, stone bridges and ancient buildings.
Provenance: private collection, Austria.
