Hermanus Koekkoek The Elder (After), On The Scheldt

c. 1880

This mid-17th-century oil painting attributed to Dutch artist Willem Van Bemmel (1630-1708) depicts an Italianate view with prominent ruins, travellers, distant town and mountains. Born in Utrecht, Van Bemmel trained under the distinguished Herman Saftleven (1609-1685) before undertaking a grand tour culminating with an extended stay in Venice and Rome. Travelling to Italy during the mid-17th century was a complex endeavour involving a perilous journey of over 800 miles by carriage. Often funded by the artists’ parents, it was extraordinarily expensive and fraught with danger. Not only were the plucky adventurers the target of various nomadic miscreants, they also had to tackle the ferocity of the Alps. Some never made it, others never returned. Van Bemmel began his tour at just 17 years old, keen to join his Dutch compatriots on their cultural sojourn. Today, one might compare these lengthy study trips to enrolling at University - whereby the learning was paramount but the activities not entirely salubrious. For those leaving home for the first time, it was the Baroque equivalent of a booze cruise. Such was the level of debauchery that the Dutch and Flemish artistic contingent in Rome became notorious for their antics. Dubbed collectively as the Bentvueghels (‘Birds of a Feather’), their meetings often descended into frantic drinking bouts and bizarre initiation rituals - often concluding with a march to the church of Santa Costanza (the ‘Temple of Bacchus’). However, despite this, there was still much to be gained from studying the rich tapestry of Renaissance masters and indeed the environment itself. Collectors across Europe favoured those with Italian experience and in The Netherlands, Italianate views were highly sought after. In the words of the influential writer, Arnold Houbraken, the 17th-century “had no esteem for artists unless they had seen Rome”. Van Bemmel settled in Rome between 1649 and 1653 where he became enchanted by the works of Franco-Italian landscape painter, Gaspard Dughet (1615-1675). From here, he crossed the Alps to settle in Nuremberg, Germany, marrying Agnes Pisanus, the daughter of a ‘smoke merchant’. In this work from circa 1670, he’s captured a ruined mediaeval tower, serving as a gatehouse. In the foreground, a weary packhorse carries barriels with a dog alongside, while two sentries guard the route. Further on, an ancient town stands atop cliffs with distant mountains described in a blueish haze. He was a master at capturing light effects on architecture and it’s reminiscent of his work from 1667 depicting the Roman arch Arch of Drusus. Also Jan Both’s ‘The Titus Arch in Rome’. Van Bemmel’s sons Peter von Bemmel and Johan Georg von Bemmel both became artists of repute and continued the ‘Von Bemmel’ painting legacy. He’s represented in numerous public collections including at the British Museum, Smithsonian American Art Museum, V&A Museum, Rijksmuseum and Centraal Museum in Utrecht. Held within a later gilt frame. Sold via Sotheby’s in 1987 and recently appraised at £3,000-£4,000. Learn more about Willem Van Bemmel in our directory. Labels & Inscriptions: Inscribed with the artist’s name on the reverse. Sotheby’s auction chalk. Provenance: Old Master Paintings and British Paintings 1500...

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