2.5 Animal painters
Crucial for the emergence of English sporting images were the painters of horses and battle scenes who propagated Wouwerman’s style in England. These were first and foremost Jan Wyck (1652-1700), who is said to have accompanied his father Thomas to England,1 and Dirk Maas (1656-1717), who went there in the reign of William III (1650-1702). We will return a little later to Wyck’s pupils, John Wootton (c. 1682-1764) and Martin Beckman (1634/5-1702). Wyck’s drawings of hunting scenes were also engraved and issued as prints [1].2 For the rest, it was their task to glorify William III’s deeds of war. The Battle of the Boyne was a popular topic which Wyck painted on several occasions for William III, as did Dirk Maas for his patron, Hans Willem Bentinck (1649-1709), who in the meantime had risen to become the Earl of Portland [2-3].3 Jan Wyck also enjoyed the patronage of Gilbert Coventry, later 4th Earl of Coventry (c. 1688 - 1719).4 Wyck was occasionally content to perform auxiliary tasks, such as adding horses and landscape backgrounds to equestrian portraits by Gottfried Kneller and Caspar Netscher [4-5]. Jan Wyck died in Mortlake in 1700. Maas, on the other hand, does not seem to have spent much time in England at all, since he was back in The Hague in 1697.5 The Philips Wouwerman style as practised by Jan van Huchtenburg, which was a characteristic feature of Dirk Maas’ work, continued to be propagated in England by Huchtenburg’s pupils, Alexander van Gaelen (1670- 1728) and Izaak Vogelensanck (1688-1753).6 Van Gaelen, who arrived in London in about 1700, painted historical battle scenes such as Charles I’s fight against Cromwell. He also produced a painting of the River Boyne. Van Gaelen went to England with William III, but Queen Anne (1665-1714) kept him in her employ.7 Virtually nothing is known about Vogelensanck’s oeuvre. He is said to have worked around 1750 [= 1730?] in Jakob Christof Le Blon’s tapestry manufactory, a business which did not prosper.8 Peter Tillemans (1684-1734), a Flemish artist, settled in London not long after the death of William III, thus bringing the Flemish element in this genre more to the fore.
1
Jan Wyck
Hunting group around a killed stag, before 1686
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. 1950,1014.1
2
Jan Wyck
The Battle of the Boyne, 1 July 1690, dated 1690
London (England), National Army Museum, inv./cat.nr. NAM. 1975-08-50-1
3
Dirk Maas published by Edward Cooper
The Battle of the Boyne, 1 July 1690, 1691
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. Sheepshanks.6411
4
John Smith after Gottfried Kneller and after Jan Wyck published by John Smith
Equestrian portrait of Frederick Herman de Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg (1615-1690), dated 1689
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. 1935,0413.145
5
and Jan Wyck Constantijn Netscher
Equestrian portrait of James Scott, Duke of Monmouth (1649-1685), a battle in the background
Isle of Bute (Scotland), private collection Mount Stuart Trust
The battle scenes and equestrian images paved the way for the animal landscape artists and animal and still life painters, who often collaborated with the former.9 Just as Wouwerman’s style spread through England thanks to the works of Jan Wyck, Dirk Maas and the Huchtenburg pupils, so Nicolaes Berchem’s approach became familiar in the country thanks to the endeavours of Adam de Colonia II, the two Carrées and the Dubois brothers. Adam Colonia II (1634-1685) who moved to London in 1675, produced very crisp, fleetingly brilliant drawings (British Museum) [6-7], which reveal his training at the hands of Dutch Italianates (Jan Both, Nicolaes Berchem, Bartholomeus Breenbergh) as well as a number of genre-like Biblical scenes of the kind Adriaen van de Velde occasionally painted.10 According to Weyerman and Walpole, he also copied Bassano, and in fact Dulwich has copies of Bassano which are inscribed G.(?) Colonia [8].11 Adam’s son Hendrik Adriaan de Colonia (1668-1701), who studied under Adriaen van Diest, probably painted in his style.12 The brothers Eduard Dubois (1619-1696) and Simon Dubois (1632-1708) went to London in the 1680s after having worked in Italy for many years.13 Apart from making portraits, they spent their whole lives painting animal images and landscapes.14 According to Walpole, who cites Richard Graham (active 1695-1727), Eduard Dubois’ little-known teacher, Pieter Anthonisz. van Groenewegen (c. 1600-after 1657), must also have been in England.15 Michiel Carrée (1657-1727) arrived in London in 1692 or shortly afterwards and worked there until he received a call from Berlin to take over from Abraham Begeyn.16 His nephew Franciscus Abraham Carrée (1684-1721), who followed him to England when he was probably still a young man, died there in 1721.17 Since we have already mentioned Hendrik van der Straaten, whose drawings are reminiscent of Jan van der Meer II, all that remains is to draw attention to Dirck van Bergen (1645-after 1690), an imitator of Adriaen van de Velde who, according to Houbraken, went to England to seek his fortune in about 1675. However, he returned to Haarlem a disappointed man.18 A later descendant in the field of Dutch animal landscape painting was Jan van Gool (1685-1763), who was in London around 1707 and returned there later on in his life.
6
Adam de Colonia (II)
A wooded landscape, c. 1674-1685
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. Oo,10.238
7
Adam de Colonia (II)
An oak, with two ashes on the left of it, c. 1674-1685
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. Oo,10.239
8
Adam de Colonia (II)
Sheep shearing
Dulwich (Southwark), Dulwich Picture Gallery, inv./cat.nr. DPG371
9
Melchior d' Hondecoeter
View of a Park with Swans and Ducks, c. 1670 - 1680
Grantham (England), Belton House
The animal painters were very popular and duly found English successors. Leading the way here was Melchior d’ Hondecoeter (1636-1695). This was despite the fact that he never went to England himself, his reputation being established by his pupils and imitators and the paintings which were sent abroad. The wall decorations at Belton House (Earl of Brownlow) are a good example of the latter [9-10]. The aforementioned Robert Griffier (c. 1675-after 1727), who was born in England, painted chicken runs, ducks and foreign birds that are reminiscent of de Hondecoeter, and not just in figurative respects. He must have studied the latter’s works very closely during his stay in Holland. Images of this kind are sometimes attributed to Jan Griffier II (1698-1773), but a scene clearly inscribed R. Griffier makes it likely they were all produced by Robert [11].19
10
Melchior d' Hondecoeter
Open Landscape with Poultry and Waterfowl, c. 1670-1680
Grantham (England), Belton House
11
Robert Griffier (I)
Family of ducks and other birds in a park
London (England), art dealer C.C. Menzies
Two Hungarians who studied in Amsterdam also helped to spread de Hondecoeter’s fame: Jakob Bogdány (1658-1724) and his pupil Tobias Stranover (1684-1756). Images of birds and exotic animals, in particular, were exceedingly popular. Bogdani painted a great deal for the British and Dutch estates of William III, at Dieren House and at Voorst Castle for Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle (1669/70-1718).20 The royal collections at Hampton Court and elsewhere still have a large number of his decorative images of fruits and flowers in the style of Mignon and Verelst. Queen Anne also commissioned works from him [12]. Animal pictures were in great demand in England. Sir Robert Walpole (1st Earl of Orford) (1676-1745) had some himself and knew of various others. Even today they are still far from rare in England. Judging by the few pictures known to be by Otto Hoynck (1637-before 1705) he was not a particularly talented artist. He painted portraits of famous dogs (auction in London, 23 February 1934, no. 138) [13] and copied works by Bassano. Otto Hoynck was ‘finepainter’ to the Earl of Albemarle, for whom he also worked in Holland.21 Leonard Knijff ’s (1650-1722) animal images in the style of de Hondecoeter and Weenix are not much better than his landscape views. One of his best smaller pictures is now on display at the Bredius Museum [14].
12
Jakob Bogdány
Birds in a landscape
Hampton Court Palace (Molesey), Royal Collection - Hampton Court, inv./cat.nr. RCIN 402812
13
Otto Hoynck
Portrait of a champion greyhound, dated 1673
Private collection
14
Leonard Knijff
Still-Life with Dead Birds
The Hague, Museum Bredius, inv./cat.nr. 177-1946
15
Francis Barlow
Park landscape with cassowary, before 1676
United Kingdom, The National Trust, inv./cat.nr. 1441455
16
Francis Barlow
The Decoy, c. 1667-1677
United Kingdom, The National Trust, inv./cat.nr. 1441517
17
Arthur Soly after Francis Barlow published by Richard Blome
Maning Hawks
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. 1847,0306.328
18
Arthur Soly after Francis Barlow published by Richard Blome
Perching the pheasant
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. 1847,0306.300
It is now time to introduce some English animal painters. Francis Barlow (1622-1704) was the most versatile and prolific amongst them.22 It is hard to say what he modelled his style on. He adopted the ‘Hondecoeter approach’ before Bogdani made it popular in England. In fact he did so even before Hondecoeter developed the style himself. Barlow was better and more original as an illustrator and draughtsman than he was as a painter. His animal drawings are reminiscent of Roelant Savery, Gijsbert de Hondecoeter, the early Aelbert Cuyp and Cornelis Saftleven, while other of his works appear more Flemish. His pictures are narrated naively and painted in rough-and-ready fashion. His approach to art is exemplified very well by the paintings in Clandon Park mansion [15-16] and the illustrations he made for Richard Blome’s The Gentleman’s Recreation [17-18]. Jan Wyck collaborated on the same work,23 while Leendert Knijff served the same Baron Onslow at Clandon Park.24 Marmaduke Cradock (c. 1660-1716) moulded his poultry images very much on de Hondecoeter, although he lacked the latter’s painterly finesse. A good deal is rendered in a fleeting and schematic manner, although some images still have a warm Dutch colour tone [19].25 In conclusion, mention must be made – even though this takes us well into the 18th century – of Charles Collins (1680?-1744), whose paintings betray Flemish influences and reflect the Dutch example set by de Hondecoeter [20].26 R. Calstock appears to have followed more closely in the footsteps of Jan Weenix and Dirk Valkenburg, as far as I can tell from the only bird still life I know of [21].27
19
Marmaduke Cradock
The fithting cock 'Duckwing', dated 1696
20
Charles Collins (I)
Peacock, chickens aan other birds in wooded landscape, dated 1740
20
R. Calstock
A dead heron and other birds, c. 1700
Notes
1 [Gerson 1942/1983] Since Thomas Wijck went to England around 1660, he must have taken Jan with him as a boy and taught him in England. In 1690 a Johannes van Wijck (the same?) married Catarina van Mengelinckhuijsen in the Dutch Church in London (Moens 1884, p. 121). He died on 26 October 1700 in Mortlake. Compare also Kendall 1932-1933, p. 33-35. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] It is unclear if Jan van Wyck joined his father to England in 1660s, but it is safe to say that he did in (or shortly before) 1673; Jan is documented for the first time in England on 17 June 1674 (White 1982, p. 157). He cannot be identical to the Johannes van Wyck who married Catarina van Mengelinckhuijsen in 1690, as he was married to Elizabeth Holomberg (died 1693) since 1688 (LJ. Wassink in Turner et al. 1996, vol. 33, p. 176-177); see also Gibson 2000.
2 [Gerson 1942/1983] For example in the widely distributed work: Blome 1686.
3 [Gerson 1942/1983] Paintings by Jan Wijck in Hampton Court; collection Duke of Buccleuch, Dalkeith Palace [RKDimages 306022]; London 1938, no. 19. A painting by Dirk Maas in the collection of the Duke of Portland, Welbeck Abbey. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] As far as we know, Willem III did not directly order any paintings of the Battle of Boyne, but the print may have been commissioned by him (Griffith 1998, p. 303-304; Farguson 2021, p. 133-134). On the painting by Maas for Bentinck in Welbeck Abbey: Murray 1894, p. 147-148, no. 523 (no image).
4 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] About Jan Wyck and Gilbert Coventry: Gibson 2000, p. 8.
5 [Gerson 1942/1983] [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] Maas was already back in Haarlem in May 1692, according to a testimony of Cornelis Dusart (Bredius 1915-1921, vol. 7, p. 53-55; Van Thiel-Stroman 2006, p. 144, 227).
6 [Gerson 1942/1983] Vogelensanck is said to have been Huchtenburg's tutor in London. However, nothing is known about Huchtenburgh stay in London.
7 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] Gerson based this information on Van Gool 1750-1751, vol. 1, p. 340-341.
8 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] Gerson based this (mis)information on Von Wurzbach, who based his lemma on Immerzeel 1842-1843, vol. 3, p. 203. Le Blon’s manufactory for a three-color tapestry weaving process ended in an financial fiasco in 1732, after which he left London; Vogelensanck must have been involved before 1732, not around 1750.
9 [Gerson 1942/1983] One cannot always strictly separate these genres. Ilse von Sick counts Adriaen van Diest among Berchem's successors, for which we found no evidence (Von Sick 1930, p. 50). Simon Dubois, whom we mention again here, is a pupil of Wouwerman and Berchem. He and his brother also painted portraits. Robert Griffier and Jan Vincentsz. van de Vinne, who were mentioned among the landscape painters, copied or painted in the manner of Wouwerman.
10 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] The family is listed as members of the Dutch Reformed church at Austin Friars in 1674/5 (Hessels 1892, p. 98, no. 1385, p. 108, p. 1542).
11 [Gerson 1942/1983] These copies were probably made in England, where there were many pictures of Bassano since the days of Charles I. In Hampton Court today are still more than 20 paintings from him or out of his school.[Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] It was Buckeridge who wrote that Colonia ‘copied many pictures of beasts after Bassan’ (Buckeridge 1706, p. 362); this was taken over by Weyerman and Walpole. Dulwich Picture Gallery owns a Four Seasons series after Bassano (DPG412; DPG386, DPG422, DPG398); Murray wrongly suggested these may be attributed Colonia (Murray 1980, p. 43). Some elements from this series can be found in Colonia’s painting in Dulwich (RKDimages 306105). Kalinsky suggested that Colonia may have incorporated elements from the four Seasons at the request of William Cartwright (1606-1686), Kalinsky/Waterfield 197, p. 64, no. 64 (N. Kalinsky).
12 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] See RKDimages 306072. According to Weyerman he painted staffage in van Diest’s paintings. Weyerman 1729-1769, vol. 4, p. 304.
13 [Gerson 1942/1983] Walpole et al. 1762/1876 (ed. Wornum), vol. 2, p. 217; Haverkorn van Rijsewijk 1899C, p. 176ff. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] The remark that the Dubois brothers went to London together c. 1680 stems from Thieme/Becker 1907-1950, vol. 9 (1913), p. 603. Other sources assume that Edward went c. 1662 to England and his brother Simon followed him later, c. 1680 (Waterhouse 1988, p. 77, L.H. Cust and A. Burnett in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004/2010, deduced from Walpole).
14 [Gerson 1942/1983] Sale John Wootton, London (Langford) 13 March 1761, no. 2, by Dubois: ‘Three Goats Heads by [= after] Berghem, and 2 Sketches’.
15 [Gerson 1942/1983] Walpole et al. 1762/1876 (ed. Wornum), vol. 2, p. 217. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] This is not unlikely (Groenewegen indeed was in Italy), but not further corroborated.
16 [Gerson 1942/1983] Houbraken mistakenly calls him Hendrik Carrée, who knew Jan Wijck in 1692/3. See Houbraken 1718-1721, vol. 2, p. 17-18 and the correction in Hofstede De Groot 1893A, p. 61.[Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] See also Horn/van Leeuwen 2021, vol. 2, p. 10-19. Michel Carré did not go directly to Berlin, but was a member in the guild and of the drawing academy in the Hague in 1695 (A. Bredius in Obreen 1877-1890, vol. 5, p. 143). According to Van Gool Carrée was unsuccessful in England, see also Jager 2016, p. 288-291.
17 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] The assumption stems from Thieme/Becker 1907-1950, vol. 6 (1912), p. 67. As his uncle was already back in the Dutch Republic in 1695, when Franciscus was only eleven, it seems unlikely that he joined his uncle.
18 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] Van Bergen painted 18 decorative paintings for the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale in Ham House, c. 1673. For the series: RKDimages 299302. It is unknown when he returned to Haarlem.
19 [Gerson 1942/1983] Sale Christie’s (London), 15 December 1933, no. 137. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] The work Gerson mentions (photograph Visual Documentation Collection RKD) resurfaced in a sale Sotheby’s (London), 3 July 1997, no. 51 (ill. in color). Gerson is wrong to assume that only Robert Griffier painted fowl pieces: in 1965 such a work by Jan Griffier I was auctioned, fully signed and dated work ‘John GRIFFIER 1710’ (now Tate Britain, RKDimages 306082). About the confusion about the life dates and oeuvres of the Griffier family member, see above, p. x, note x.
20 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] Hof te Dieren burnt down during the French occupation in 1795 and Huis de Voorst was largely destroyed by fire in 1943. The 22 (!) Bogdany paintings in Huis de Voorst were already sold at the sale of the late Duchess of Albemarle, The Hague, 26 October 1744 (Hofstede de Groot index cards 57610 and 57617). Lugt 606.
21 [Gerson 1942/1983] Bredius 1933. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] The fact that Hoynck called himself ‘fynschilder van de Hartogh van Albemarle’ when he signed a document in Amsterdam in 1686 does not mean he worked for this duke in Holland. Albemarle is not identical to the above mentioned Arnold Joost van Keppel, but to Christopher Monk, 2nd Duke of Albemarle (1653-1688), who is not known to have been in the Dutch Republic. There is one painting by Hoynck after Bassano known, RKDimages 306085, for which he possibly made use a print by Hans Sadeler (RKDimages 306095).
22 [Gerson 1942/1983] Shaw Sparrow 1922, p. 21-25, the same in Sparrow 1934, p. 25, and in Show Sparrow 1936, p. 36.
23 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] See RKDimages 306047 and RKDimages 306098.
24 [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] Barlow made a series of six large pictures with birds and other animals, for Denzil Onslow to decorate the great hall at his home, Pyrford Court, which he inherited in 1677; in the 1730s the pictures were transferred to Clandon Park, which was destroyed by fire on 29 April 2015. It seems that some of Barlow's pictures survived. See Jonker/Bergvelt 2021, under BARLOW. For the painting by Knyff, see p. 2.3, fig. 50. It was commissioned by another Baron Onslow, probably Sir Richard Onslow (1654-1717).
25 [Gerson 1942/1983] Fighting Cock, collection of the Hon. Mrs. Tennant, London 1937, no. 131.
26 [Gerson 1942/1983] Poultry yard, sale London (Wylde), 23 June 1937, no. 22. [Hearn/van Leeuwen 2022] An image of the painting mentioned by Gerson (RKDimages 306144) could not be found.
27 [Gerson 1942/1983] Sale London (Hewlitt, Sotheby) 28 November 1922, no. 203.