Circle of Jan van Kessel (Amsterdam 1641-1680)
Lot 55

Circle of Jan van Kessel (Amsterdam 1641-1680)

A winter landscape with a view of the Heiligewegpoort, Amsterdam, with figures skating on the Singel

Closed14 May 2014

Price Realised

EUR 8,750

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Circle of Jan van Kessel (Amsterdam 1641-1680)
A winter landscape with a view of the Heiligewegpoort, Amsterdam, with figures skating on the Singel
oil on panel
43.5 x 63.8 cm.

with Gebroeders Douwes, Amsterdam, 1955, where purchased by family of the present owners.

Specialist note

This composition depicts the Heiligerwegpoort, which stood at the end of the Heilige Weg on the southern edge of the city wall, nowadays the Koningsplein. The gate was an example of Dutch Classicism and designed by the leading architect Jacob van Campen (1595-1657). Built in 1636, it was demolished in 1664 to make room for the new city expansion.

Both Jan van Kessel and Jan Beerstraten have depicted this view and because of the close resemblances of their styles their paintings have sometimes been confused. The present picture is closest to Van Kessel's painting in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (inv. no. SK-A-2506) and the one formerly in the W.J.R. Dreesmann collection in Amsterdam (see: A. Davies, Jan van Kessel, Ghent, 1992, pp. 109-12, nos. 3-4, figs. 3-4). .