Dunes Landscape
FRANCOIS VAN KNIBBERGEN
(The Hague 1597 – after 1665)
Oil on Panel. 39 cm. x 58 cm. Signed Work. 1630-35 ca.
Initially, this painting was attributed to Vermeer van Haarlem, but later on Studies have shown serious doubts, since they have found many differences between this painting and the others done by van Haarlem. All this led to deciding that Francois van Knibbergen was the author, since the composition of the work was exactly the same. There are other works by the artist that are similar to this painting, they can be found in a private Collection.
Important Dutch artist, who specialized in landscapes. According to the historical documentation of the time, it is known that he was born in 1597 in The Hague, the city where he would end up developing all of his artistic career, his trace is lost in 1665, it is probable that he died a couple of years after this. He chose to use warm color tones and utilize realism by using small and thin brushstrokes, Van Knibbergen’s style is very similar to that of Jan van Goyen and Salomon van Ruysdael. The artist painted many mountainous landscapes with forests, rivers, waterfalls, utilizing a green color range where yellows and browns predominated. Knibbergen’s first works followed an Italianate style which was very common for the time; painting temples or ruins, showing a close resemblance to some of B. Breenbergh art pieces. It is unknown if Knibbergen travelled to Italy, although it is very probable that he did not, being part of the group of artists that copied the contemporary artists that had the chance to work with great Roman painters. There are many possibilities that Knibbergen was van Goyen’s student, since many of his works are very similar to the ones of this master, although the way the leaves are painted is quite different.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
– W. Bernt, “The Netherlandish Painters of the Seventeenth Century”, Phaidon, 1970, Vol II, p. 66 y 67, plate 629
– H. U. Beck, “Kunstler Um Jan van Goyen”, 1991, p. 223-231. Plate 612 (publicado)
– C. Hofstede de Groot, “Catalogue raisonné”, Vol. VIII, Esslingen, 1923
– W. Stechow, “Salomon van Ruysdael”, Berlin, 1938, p. 54
– E. Benezit, “Dictionnaire des peintres, sculpteurs, dessinateurs et graveurs”, Vol. 7, p. 873
PROVENANCE
- S. Nystad Collection, The Hague
- Peter de Boer Gallery, Amsterdam, 1974
- Luigi Caretto Gallery, Turin
MUSEUMS
Francois van Knibbergen’s works can be found in many museums around the world including: Amsterdam- Rijksmuseum, London- Apsley House, Wellington Museum, Wurzburg- Martin von Wagner Museum.