Sotheby’s Amsterdam ~ Old Master Paintings Sale May 7, 2008

Sunday, 02 March 2008 02:24

Amsterdam, NL - A very rare panoramic Amsterdam view of the Great Synagogue and the Portuguese Synagogue by Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde (Haarlem 1638-1698) is one of the highlights of the Old Master Paintings sale at Sotheby’s Amsterdam on Wednesday 7 May 2008.
 
After holding their services on different locations for several decades, the Ashkenazi community of Amsterdam quickly expanded when the flood of refugees fleeing the wars and pogroms of Eastern Europe.  The need for a large central synagogue was clear and in 1670 a plot of land was purchased for the purpose. Elias Bouman was engaged as architect and contractor for the project. The ‘Great Synagogue’,
completed in 1671, was the first synagogue in Amsterdam that was recognisable as such from outside. The building is now part of the Jewish Historic Museum of Amsterdam.
 
The ‘Portuguese synagogue’ (or Esnoga ) was built for the Sephardic community, also under architect Elias Bouwman. At the solemn inauguration in 1675 it was the largest synagogue in the world. After Spain had expelled its Jewish population in 1492, many had fled to Portugal. One hundred years later, their descendants began to arrive in Amsterdam where they enjoyed a unique freedom of religion. The Dutch Republic was then at war with Spain and to avoid being identified with the enemy, these refugees called themselves 'Portuguese' Jews. With their trading contacts in the Mediterranean they contributed to the Dutch Golden Age and played an important part in the cultural development of the Dutch Republic. Gerrit Adriaensz Berckheyde was famous for his paintings of important buildings, squares, houses and architectonic details. Although his Amsterdam views were in great demand, Berckheyde never left his hometown Haarlem. The present painting is a wonderful example of Dutch Golden Age painting, dating from circa 1685 – ten years after the inauguration of the Portuguese Synagogue. The oil on panel, signed g Berk heyde, is estimated €100.000 -150.000.

A wonderful portrait of the Dutch Van den Burgh family  by Jürgen Ovens (Tönning, Schleswig-Holstein 1623 - 1678 Friedrichstadt), an oil on canvas of 184 by 216.5 cm, is estimated €120.000-180.000. Danish born Jürgen Ovens spent part of his career in the Netherlands where he was also known as Jurriaen Ovens. In order to be accepted as a member of the guild he became a citizen of Amsterdam. He
worked with Govaert Flinck and was a pupil of Rembrandt. Ovens portrait paintings were in demand and he painted illustrious persons such as Comenius, Michiel de Ruyter, Maarten Tromp, Charles II of England and Christina of Sweden.
 
In 1661 Ovens was asked to complete a painting that had been started by Flinck for the townhall A wonderful series of four paintings representing the Four Seasons  by the Flemish master Sebastiaen Vrancx (Antwerp 1573-1647) is estimated €250.000-350.000. The series comprises four oil on canvases of 72.7 by 117.2cm each. Vrancx was one of the most important painters of his time and a prominent citizen of his hometown Antwerp. He became Dean of the Antwerp St. Lucas Guild in 1612 and Commander of the Antwerp Civil Guard. Vrancx was also active as a poet and wrote several comedies for the Antwerp Chamber of Rhetoric, De Violiere
 
Sale: Wednesday 7 May at 2pm ~  Viewing: Friday 2 – Monday 5 May, daily from 10am to 5pm 

Sotheby's Amsterdam - DE BOELELAAN 30 1083 HJ AMSTERDAM T +31 (20) 550 2200 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it