Sybrand van Beest
The Hague Vegetable Market in Winter
The Hague 1610 - 1674 Amsterdam Painted circa 1650
The Hague 1610 - 1674 Amsterdam Painted circa 1650
The Hague 1610 - 1674 Amsterdam
Middelburg 1600/1620- 1673 Middelburg
Brescia 1659 - 1742 Brescia
Antwerp 1686 - 1750 Antwerp
Amsterdam 1599 - 1655 Amsterdam
Dordrecht 1642 - 1722 Dordrecht
The Hague 1696 – 1775 The Hague
Haarlem 1660 - 1704 Haarlem
Rotterdam 1608 - 1677 Rotterdam
Haastrecht 1604/1624 - 1675 The Hague
Haarlem 1591 - 1656 Haarlem
Haarlem 1634 - 1704 London
Nijmegen 1614 - 1669 Amsterdam
Antwerp 1714 - 1792 Antwerp
Antwerp 1682 - 1759 Antwerp
Tilburg 1755 - 1820 Amsterdam
Haarlem 1609/1610 - 1668 Haarlem
Leiden 1689 - 1763 Leiden
Leiden 1662 - 1747 Leiden
Breda 1698 - 1771 Leiden
Naarden 1635 - 1714 Amsterdam
Brussels c. 1625 - 1678 Brussels
Leiden 1640 - 1719 Oegstgeest
Leiden 1640 - 1719 Oegstgeest
Urecht c. 1632 - 1680 Leiden
Uithoorn 1647 - 1723 Amsterdam
Rotterdam c. 1603 - 1637 Rotterdam/The Hague
Rotterdam c. 1603 - 1637 Rotterdam/The Hague
Amsterdam c. 1642 - 1719 Amsterdam
Kralingen 1659 - 1722 Rotterdam
The Hague 1610 - 1674 Amsterdam Painted circa 1650
Panel, 63 x 104 cm
Despite the wintry weather, the common people have taken to the streets en masse to do some shopping at the market. The wintry cold is made visible by the boy in the front right, who blows frantically into his hands. Remnants of the snow lie on the roofs and the paving stones have turned white. The flaming red jacket of the woman in the front right provides a surprising color accent in this sober palette.
In order to relieve the overcrowded Dagelijkse Groenmarkt behind the town hall and the Grote Kerk, a second vegetable market was created in 1614 on the nearby Grote Markt, the Nieuwe Groenmarkt, which we see depicted here. After the Prinsengracht was dug in 1643, creating a better connection with the horticultural area in the Westland, the Nieuwe Groenmarkt became increasingly important. The masts of the ships, which can be seen to the left of the center of the painting, probably indicate the end of the Prinsengracht.
This painting has an exceptionally large size for Van Beest and is regarded as one of his best works.
Dordrecht 1642 - 1722 Dordrecht
c. 1690
Remains of signature (bottom left)
Panel, 48.2 x 59 cm
Weldon Collection, Baltimore
The horse shown in this picture is the same animal as the dark horse which appears in our painting. The two horses are identical in every detail. This provides an additional argument to attribute both works to Van Calraet. For the background, Van Calraet took his inspiration from the Italian landscapes of Aelbert Cuyp.
Rotterdam 1608 - 1677 Rotterdam
Panel, 39 x 51 cm
Painted circa 1660
Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder, The Hague
Over-indulgence in alcohol and smoking leads to impotence. And this picture perfectly illustrates the saying: ‘Too much of ought is good for nought’. What immediately strikes one about this painting is the telling expressions of the two principal characters: the derision of the standing man and the dismay of the seated peasant. The interior is executed in shades of brown with the light falling on the principal elements: both the peasants, the pewter beer jugs the bunch of onions and the white cloth in the basket are all illuminated. Interestingly the picture contains no glasses or mugs. The smaller of the two jugs is in fact for drinking out of, a tankard, and was certainly used for beer. The larger is a pitcher that in turn would have been filled from the barrel. The presence of both vessels indicates that the humiliating scene is being played out in a tavern, not in a private home.
Pieter Duyfhuysen, who was known as a genre painter, was from Rotterdam. He may have studied with the painter Johannes Torrentius from Haarlem.
Haarlem 1634 - 1704 London
Signed EVHK (right, centre of door) c. 1690/1700
Canvas, 73 x 74 cm
Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder, The Hague
Under the watchful eye of the landlady the merry company are enjoying themselves drinking, dancing and making music. But the fun is disturbed by a dignified gentleman, who admonishes the group from the stairs: it might be an illustration of the present-day exhortation: ‘Enjoy, but drink in moderation’. Remarkably large quantities of wine are being consumed in this tavern. Next to the landlady stand two empty bulbous bottles which were usually used for brandy, or other strong, often medicinal, drink. Round wine jugs with lids covering the narrow necks are strewn around on the ground. A solitary tankard of beer is being fetched by the young lad from the cellar stores.
Nijmegen 1614 - 1669 Amsterdam
Painted circa 1650
Canvas, 100.6 x 83.2 cm
Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder, The Hague
The sibyl is wearing a terracotta-red dress with the yellow sash draped over her left arm, gently waving. Her headscarf is also moving, giving the picture a further sense of urgency. Tarquin, with his exposed, muscular neck, is wrapped in a Roman toga that reveals a remarkable blue sleeve which only came to light after restoration. The palette employed for the figures reflects the colours used in the background.
Antwerp 1682 - 1759 Antwerp
Canvas, 39 x 32.5 cm
Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder, The Hague
The composition of this interior is based on the Greek cross pattern (X) dissected by a horizontal line. Below this line is the scene of figures drinking and making musjc. Above it, the round pewter plates echo the figures’ heads and lead into the upper section of the painting. Below left, with the dog, a diagonal line stretches from the man’s violin to the bird cage. Ingeniously, this same cage forms the top of a triangle with the three central figures in this genre piece forming the base line.
Horemans devoted particular attention to the rendering of texture. Each object, the woman’s dress, next to her the firepan, the dog, the candle on the wall, right – every detail is carefully depicted. Even the different qualities of these objects are successfully portrayed. The iron of the bird cage is hard and cold, the cage appears heavy; the stone slabs of the floor are uneven and the straw on the ground is mangled and depicted in shadow. The kitchenware shines with countless highlights.
Naarden 1635 - 1714 Amsterdam
Signed JvNeck f (bottom left), c. 1700
Panel, 42.5 x 33 cm
Hoogsteder & Hoogsteder, The Hague
According to Houbraken, Jan van Neck was a man who ‘was beyond reproach in his behaviour and a diligent member of the church’. Yet it seems that this upright gentleman had no compunction in painting pictures of lecherous putti. The horde of satyrs riding on the goat of Lust can also be seen in the same painter’s larger Dresden picture. The plump child astride the animal’s back holds a bunch of grapes in one hand, while the other figures adorn the animal with flower garlands. One of them also has cloven hoofs – a satyr in the making. All these details clearly identify this as a representation of the Bacchic cult. The scene illustrated in this picture takes place on the edge of a wood with the tree beautifully offset against a cloudy sky. The various green and brown hues are finely graded, forming a perfect foil for the playing children.