CORNELIS SPRINGER
Amsterdam 1817 - 1891 Hilversum
Ref: CB 177
View on the Singel canal in Amsterdam
Signed and dated lower left: C Springer 1864; signed, dated and inscribed on a label attached to the reverse authenticated with the artist’s seal
Oil on panel: 17 ½ x 24 ½ in / 44.4 x 62.2 cm
Provenance:
F Nieuwenhuijs, Paris, acquired directly from the artist, 12th March 1864, for Dfl 450
Marcel Edouard-Lambert;
Yvonne & Leon Chapal, gifted by her father, above, on the occasion of their wedding in June 1924 (according to an inscription on the reverse of the panel), then by descent
Literature:
Cornelis Springer, Verkoopboekjes van zijn Schilderijen, Aquarellen, etc 1834-1887, sold paintings in 1864. These ‘Selling books’ are now in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. no.K 326 D
Willem Laanstra, Cornelis Springer, Oeuvrecatalogue, 1984, p.143, no. 64-2
While Springer was recognised for his concentration on topographically accurate, recognisable cityscapes, in fact his romantic imagination held sway, which was something new, something that set him apart from other artists. This new direction immediately proved highly successful. The prices of his works rose and his cityscapes were in such demand that he was forced to set up a waiting list.
Before starting to paint Springer made a complete sketch of the composition, the same size as the painting, in black chalk in his studio, based on pencil drawings. With a high level of refinement, unparalleled technique and thoughtful choice of location, on the basis of these compositional sketches, Springer could show interested customers what they could expect.
The art dealer, F Nieuwenhuijs, bought the present work and a painting of The Old Weigh House in Amsterdam on the same day, 12th March 1864, most likely having seen Springer’s black chalk compositions.[1] In both paintings, Springer used details like the flat-bottomed boats with short sails(?), the rowing boat and the servants and workers on both sides of the canal.
Springer excels in this painting in the subtle, detailed rendering of the effects of sun and shadow and the variety of the building’s facades, including Dutch gable, step gable and houses with saddle backed roofs and different chimneys. He concentrates on flat-bottomed boats docked near the bridge, the white-washed walls of the tollbooth and the turret of the Church of St Catharine. Spring was impressed by the ridge-pieces, the cornice and chimneys of the tall house at no.449 and also by the small house with the step gabled front and the white brick-stone at no.451.
The Church of St Catharine, with the symbol of Faith, Hope and Love, was built in 1817 in a classical architectural style. The turret was inspired by the turret of The Palace on the Dam Square in Amsterdam.[2] In 1939 the Church was demolished and has been replaced by the Library of the University of Amsterdam.
A photo on glass by Jacob Oly confirms that Springer’s painting was a realistic and accurate representation of the scene.[3] Oly was a friend of JA Rust, a cousin and pupil of Springer.[4] The photo was taken in 1863 from the house of JA Rust, who lived at Singel no.436, and shows the Singel Canal house no.s 437-455. The bridge, the docked boats, the tollbooth and St Catharine’s Church are in the same position as Springer painted it. Even the small house with the white brick-stone is visible.[5]
CORNELIS SPRINGER
Amsterdam 1817 - 1891 Hilversum
Cornelis Springer was one of the most accomplished Dutch painters of town views. His paintings are characterized by their topographical accuracy and an interest in rendering the effects of light. They are reminiscent of the earlier Dutch seventeenth and eighteenth century masters Jan van der Heyden (1637-1712) and Issac Ouwater (1750-1793). Springer's subjects included views of Amsterdam, Alkmaar, Den Briel, Enkhuizen, Haarlem, Oudewater and Zwolle, as well as German towns.
Born in Amsterdam in 1817, Springer came from a family of building contractors. His brother Heindrik was a professional architect and he introduced Cornelis to the principles of perspective and architectural design which were to shape his favourite subject matter: townscapes. He studied at the Amsterdam Academy of Fine Arts under Jacobus van der Stok (1795-1874) and Herman Frederik Carel Ten Kate (1822-1891). He then continued his training under Kaspar Karsen between 1835-7. Karsen also specialized in townscapes. During his early career, Springer occasionally collaborated with Wouterus Verschuur (1812-1874), who painted the figures and horses in several of his landscapes.
Springer was a prolific painter, exhibiting regularly in Amsterdam and The Hague between 1834 and 1890. As a member of the Felix Meritis Society of Amsterdam, he was awarded a gold medal in 1847 and in 1865, he became a Knight of the Belgian Order. Among his pupils were Adrianus Eversen, Johan Adolph Rust and Johan Conrad Greive.
The work of Cornelis Springer is represented in many museums including the Gemeentmuseum, Arnhem, the Museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
[1] Between 1853 and 1864, Mr Nieuwenhuijs visited Springer’s studio several times and bought more than 12 paintings directly from the artist. The highest prices Mr Nieuwenhuijs ever paid, were for the two paintings he purchased of Amsterdam in 1864, including the present work.
[2] Springer seems to have been particularly impressed with this turret. He had already painted the Palace with special attention to the turret in 1855. It is possible that Mr Nieuwenhuijs asked Springer to paint this picture in 1864 on the basis of the earlier compositional sketch.
[3] Jacob Oly (1834-1903) was an art teacher, becoming more and more interested in photography during his career. When the development of photographic glass plates succeeded, he made it his specialty.
[4] Johan Adolphe Rust (1828-1915) was a professional painter. He was a member of the Artist Society, Arti et Amicitae in Amsterdam and exhibited lots of paintings including seascapes, cityscapes and landscapes.
[5] This photo is a silverprint of the photo on glass plate, now in the collection of the Stadsarchief, Amsterdam. The tollbooth and the other small buildings along the Singel-canal were also demolished during the 20th century.
