Interior of the Church of St Bavo in Haarlem

Pieter Jansz Saenredam (signed by artist), 1636-04-15

Saenredam specialized in architectural painting. He studied buildings closely, making detailed drawings of them, which he then reworked into paintings. Here he chose a vantage point from behind an arch, which creates a second framing element. Our gaze is automatically drawn upwards to the old organ, which has a painted scene of the Resurrection of Christ. This is a remnant of the by-then long-abolished Catholic decoration.

  • Artwork typepainting
  • Object numberSK-A-359
  • Dimensionssupport: height 93.7 cm x width 55.2 cm, outer size: depth 7 cm (support incl. frame)
  • Physical characteristicsoil on panel

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Interior of the St Bavokerk in Haarlem, Seen from the South Ambulatory, Looking across the Choir to the North Ambulatory and the Large Organ
    • Interior of the Church of St Bavo in Haarlem

  • Object type

  • Object number

    SK-A-359

  • Description

    Interieur van de Grote of Sint Bavokerk te Haarlem, gezien vanuit de zuidelijke kooromgang door het koor en de noordelijke kooromgang met het grote orgel. Bij de grote zuil links zit een vrouw met twee kinderen. Op een luik van het orgel is geschilderd een voorstelling van de Opstanding van Christus. In een kapel rechtsonder staat een klein orgel.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    • inscription, on the large organ: ‘[LOOFT HEM MET SNARENSPEL] EN[DE] ORGEL PSALM. [CL] / [LEERT EN VERMAENT ELKANDER MET PSALMEN E]NDE [LOF]ZANGEN EN[DE] GEESTELYCKE LIEDEKENS’
    • signature and date, on the small organ: ‘P. Saenredam. 1636.’

  • Part of catalogue

Creation

  • Creation

    painter: Pieter Jansz Saenredam (signed by artist)

  • Dating

    1636-04-15

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Material and technique

  • Physical description

    oil on panel

  • Dimensions

    • support: height 93.7 cm x width 55.2 cm
    • outer size: depth 7 cm (support incl. frame)

This work is about

  • Subject

  • Place

Acquisition and rights

  • Acquisition

    purchase 1806

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

    ...; ? purchased by the museum from the art dealer P.C. Huybrechts, The Hague, 20 June 1803;{Moes/Van Biema 1909, p. 164, no. 270, with an incorrect inv. no.} ? or, fl. 700, to the museum, with _Interior of the Sint-Bavokerk in Haarlem_ by Isaac van Nickelen (SK-A-360; at the time listed as Saenredam), 1806;{Note RMA.} on loan to the Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem, 1925-59

Documentation

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