GERRIT VAN BATTEM
101 Figures on a Frozen Canal
Pen and dark brown ink, watercolor, and gouache; H:
27.6 cm (ioI3/6 in.); W: 44.2 cm (i7^7 /i6 in.)
8s.GC.222 (SEE PLATE 13)
MARKS AND INSCRIPTIONS: At bottom left corner,
signed Battem in dark brown ink.
PROVENANCE: H. Tersmitten, Amsterdam (sale, de
BaryandYver, Amsterdam, September 23 etseq., 1754,
M5I4 or M5I5); Muilman (sale, Amsterdam, March 29,
1773 , A4 or AS); Witsen, Amsterdam (sale, Amsterdam,
August 16, 1790, A3); sale, Amsterdam, October 19 ,
1818, EI3 (?);* Witsen collection; F. Adama van Scheltema
(sale, Muller, Amsterdam, June 11-14, !9I2> lot 7); A. O.
Meyer collection, Hamburg (sale, C. G. Boerner, Leip-
zig, March 19-20, 1914, lot 115); private collection; art
market, London.
EXHIBITIONS: None.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: W. Schulz, Die holldndische Landschafi-
zeichnung 1600-1740, exh. cat., Kupferstichkabinett,
Berlin, 1974, p. 5, under no. n.
THIS IS ONE OF A GROUP OF WINTER CITYSCAPES MADE
by van Battem in richly colored gouache as independent
works. They are all of comparable size and depict pre-
sumably imaginary scenes, with figures disporting in
settings combining architecture—both monumental
and rustic—and landscape. Closest to this drawing are
examples in the Kupferstichkabinett, Berlin (inv. I299),^2
and one sold by C. G. Boerner (Leipzig, November 7,
1929 , lot 8). None of these gouaches are dated, but the
rather tight and precise figure style and rendering of cos-
tume would suggest the decade of the 16705. The com-
bination of visual elements here is fanciful and thus is typ-
ical of van Battem, who "paraphrased topographical
drawings" so that the original forms often became un-
recognizable.^3 His work is perhaps closest to that of
Abraham Beerstraaten in the overall blending of archi-
tecture and lively figures and the characterization of
trees. However, the crisply drawn, elegant group at the
left of this gouache may have more in common with
Gerrit Berckheyde, just as the rowdier configuration at
the right is more reminiscent of Adriaen van Ostade.- Detailed provenance information was kindly conveyed to
the author by F. J. Duparc from the unpublished Ph.D. disser-
tation of Hans Verbeek (Rijksuniversiteit te Leiden, 1983). - W. Bernt, Die niederldndischen Zeichner des 17. Jahrhunderts
(Munich, 1957), vol. i, no. 35. - D. Carasso et al., Opkomst en bloei van het Noordnederlandse
stadsgezicht in de ijde eeuw, exh. cat., Amsterdams Historisch
Museum, Amsterdam, 1977, p. 142.
228 DUTCH SCHOOL • VAN BATTEM