Attributed To Nikolaas Verkolje (delft 1673 – 1746 Amsterdam) Diana And Her Nymphs

Attributed to Nikolaas Verkolje (Delft 1673 – 1746 Amsterdam)

Diana and her nymphs

Oil on wood, one board, not parqueted
H. 21.5; W. 15 cm
Bears a monogram at the bottom right “CP”
On the reverse, inscription “Poelemburg/Fecit/303
The frame, in gilded wood, bears an inscription “Poelenburg”

Our painting is about Diana and her nymphs. The goddess of hunting and nature is depicted seated in a plant-filled outdoor setting, reminiscent of a forest. The blue canvas hanging above her indicates that the scene probably takes place in a makeshift camp, which serves as a resting place.
Diana is dressed in a yellow and white tunic, which reveals her chest. The outfit is held at the shoulder by an ornate strap, encrusted with jewels. Her hair, ribboned and braided, is adorned with her main attribute, the crescent moon, with a stone as a tassel.

The goddess holds a bow in one hand and brandishes a hunting horn in the other, most certainly preparing to announce the start of a hunt. The departure seems imminent, as evidenced by the two dogs held by the nymph dressed in red who has her back to us, ready to rush. A second nymph, whose gestures indicate an animated conversation, comes to meet Diana.

Diana is the Greek divinity most appreciated and represented by artists of the 17th and 18th centuries. The artist gives us here, with great delicacy of execution, a charming and intimate representation of the goddess about to leave for the hunt.

Painter, engraver and prolific copyist, Nikolaas Verkolje was a pupil of his father Johannes Verkolje, in Delft. He draws his inspiration from the art of the great masters of the 17th century, particularly from the genre scenes of painters such as Gerard Dou or Gabriel Metsu, which are still highly valued by 18th century collectors. The demand for this type of work is such that part of Verkolje's activity consists of making copies of them, at the request of dealers or collectors. While he is fond of genre scenes, Nikolaas Verkolje also excels particularly in the representations of mythological subjects. Examples include the splendid Dido and Aeneas, kept at the Getty Center, Los Angeles and The Abduction of Europa, which can be admired at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Provenance :
Sale Varenne Enchères, 19 December 2004
Private collection