Pieter Saenredam - The Interior of the Grote Kerk at Haarlem [1636-37], originally uploaded by Gandalf's Gallery.
This painting is a relatively early work, dating from 1637; Saenredam made a preliminary drawing, dated May 29, 1636, and a cartoon, of which the left part survives. On the cartoon Saenredam mentions that the painting was finished in 1637. This view shows the interior of the Grote Kerk seen from the north side of the choir, a little to the east of the north transept. Saenredam subtly altered the perspective to create effects of greater spaciousness and luminosity, e.g. in the cartoon the columns of the choir, in the foreground, appear taller than they are in reality.
Saenredam (1597 – 1665) was a pioneering Dutch painter of church interiors and topographical views. He was among the first architectural painters to emphasise topographical accuracy in his drawings, although in his paintings variations were introduced for pictorial effect. He was particularly interested in the depiction of natural light flooding vast and complex interiors.
Saenredam was born at Assendelft, the son of an engraver. His training took place at Haarlem, with Frans Pietersz de Grebber in whose studio he remained until 1622, and he became a member of the Haarlem guild of painters in 1623. He produced topographical drawings of other towns in the Netherlands, but remained chiefly active at Haarlem and he was closely in touch with the leading architects of his day, including Jacob van Campen, designer of the Amsterdam Town Hall.
[Oil on oak, 59.5 x 81.7 cm]
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