A Nocturnal Interior of a Gothic Cathedral

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Pieter Neefs the Elder
A Nocturnal Interior of a Gothic Cathedral
1625

About the Item

Pieter Neefs the Elder Antwerp, ca. 1578 – Antwerp, between 1656 and 1661 A Nocturnal Interior of a Gothic Cathedral Signed ‘PEETER NEEFS’ and dated ’1625’, on the pillar to the right Oil on copper, laid on panel H. 28 cm. W. 34 cm. PROVENANCE The backside bears a collector’s seal with the crest of Blake Family of Ireland Private collection, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom NOTE High quality work on copper by the famous Antwerp painter Pieter Neefs the Elder, who specialised in architectural interiors of churches. His principal contribution to this genre were his nocturnal church interiors lit by two light sources, of which the present piece is an excellent example. This nocturnal painting depicts the monumental Gothic interior of a five-nave cathedral, which is loosely based on the interior of the late-Gothic cathedral of Antwerp. In the days of Pieter Neefs the Elder, this monumental building was considered the most beautiful church in the Southern Netherlands. As such, the cathedral was a constant inspiration to the architectural painters of Antwerp, who continued to produce new variations on the theme, depicted from different angles. In order to offer the most complete view possible, Neefs employs a vantage point which is higher than normal and shifted slightly to the left, opening a diagonal view into the central nave. The seemingly endless sequence of arcades of the central nave is contrasted by the intricate perspective of the interlocking vaults of the lateral naves. The church is subdivided in depth by the narthex in the foreground, followed by the central nave, the transept with the central tower and in the far background the apse. The church is decorated with numerous architectural elements, such as large altars and geometrically arranged pillars and columns. With a perfect mastery of the rules of this genre, Neefs renders each architectural element visible to the viewer. At the back of the nave, the arched ‘rood screen’ (also known as ‘choir screen’, or ‘jube’), the architectural partition between the nave and chancel reserved for the worshipers, is depicted. At the right, along the main aisle of the nave, two side-altars decorated with magnificent ornamented altarpieces are featured. The ‘staffage’ figures, scattered throughout the various parts of the church, punctuate the architectural elements and in addition introduce a sense of perspective. In the light flooded side-chapel at the far right of the composition, a priest wearing a gold chasuble is reading Mass. A group of people kneel in or in front of the chapel. At the opposite side of the cathedral, other figures are kneeling in prayer before an altar. Various figures are strolling through the main aisle; a dog is standing under the pulpit. In the left foreground, an elegantly dressed couple followed by a woman are depicted, who are preceded by a boy carrying a torch. This light source illuminates the large column and the left side of the composition, allowing a rigorous and cleverly though-out effect of colours, contrasts and shades, while simultaneously imbuing the painting with a nightly atmosphere. At the right side of the column kneels a woman, with a dog behind her. In the centre, two gentlemen and a boy are conversing with a priest, dressed in a white surplices and red stole. Two beggars, dressed in rags and seated at the foot of a column beg for alms, while a crippled man removes himself from the scene. The floor of the cathedral is covered with chequered tiles and large tombstones, lending the composition the illusion of depth. In addition, this highly decorative ornamental tiling is in perfect harmony with Antwerp’s taste for interior depiction at the time. Various epitaphs and a hatchments cover the walls and columns. The painting was executed conscientiously with fine brushes, and the colour tones are pleasant and warm. The deployment of elegant ladies and gentlemen, the priest, the beggar and dogs is typical for this type of painting. All classes of Neefs’ contemporary society have their place within the church interior: elegant gentry, vagabonds, priests and peasants: all brought together in this ecclesiastical universality. These high-quality ‘staffage’ figures were probably painted by Frans Francken II (1581 – 1642). BUY WITH CONFIDENCE! All pieces in our collection are authentic and selected on their quality, rarely and beauty. They are well researched and documented and professionally restored up to very high standards. The pieces in our collection and vetted by independent experts and meet the criteria regarding authenticity, condition and attribution of international art fairs. In addition, all our pieces are checked by the Art Loss Register. As such you can buy with confidence!

Creator:
Pieter Neefs the Elder (1578 - 1661, Flemish)
Creation Year:
1625
Dimensions:
Height: 11.03 in (28 cm)Width: 13.39 in (34 cm)
Medium:
Copper,Oil
Movement & Style:
Baroque
Period:
17th Century
Condition:
Recently professionally cleaned, restored and varnished. The pieces in our collection and vetted by independent experts and meet the criteria regarding authenticity, condition and attribution of international art fairs.
Gallery Location:
Dommelen, NL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU170029452222

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