Before the pandemic hit, I used to go to Amsterdam a lot. <3 So I’m excited to share this beautiful cityscape today, thanks to the Mauritshuis Moritz Royal Gallery in The Hague for allowing us to share it. Please enjoy! 🙂
The Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal, connecting the Amstel river in the south and the IJ river in the north, is the second oldest city canal in Amsterdam. Jan van der Heyden chose to map one of the most famous areas, the area around Bierkaai and Oude Kerk. Bierkaai is where cargo ships unload barrels of beer (in this case, foreign beer), most of which are imported from Hamburg, Germany. The Oude Kerk church that dominates the picture is the oldest Gothic church in the north of the Netherlands, built in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 1658 and 1659 the carillon, so evident in the painting, was completely renovated.
While this cityscape is based on reality, Van der Heyden has room to play. The real clock tower is taller and narrower, and the canal is narrower. Some fine details, such as the individual bricks we can see on the building’s façade, are characteristic of his painting style. Many of the small figures that enlivened the city were probably painted by Adriaen van de Velde (1636-1672), who was often hired by van der Heyden for this type of work.
City views and landscapes with country houses are Van der Heiden’s specialty. Besides being a painter, he was also an active inventor. In 1668 he devised an ingenious scheme for street lighting in Amsterdam, which continued until 1840. In 1672 he designed a fire truck with a hose and mass production began in 1681.
The painting is perfect for an up-close look; if you want to write down your thoughts on art, check out our Art Diary . 🙂
Side note: Van der Heiden was one of the most prominent painters of the Dutch Golden Age , but the Golden Age also had a dark side!
Plus, today is World Stationery Day! If you’re a stationery lover, check out our DailyArt store for 15% off sitewide today! 🙂
52.3 x 41.4 cm
Mauritshuis, The Hague
This article is reproduced from: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/dailyartartwork/img-202203106229cd491029e
This site is for inclusion only, and the copyright belongs to the original author.