Circle Of Jakob De Heusch (utrecht, 1657- Amsterdam, 1701), Italian Landscape With Wayfarers

Circle of Jakob de Heusch (Utrecht, 1657- Amsterdam, 1701)

Italian landscape with wayfarers

Oil on canvas, cm 87.4 x 121.5

With frame, cm 97.5 x 130

Provenance: acquired by Professor Michael Kauffmann (1931-2023) in Brighton, circa 1960

Grandson of Willem de Heusch, he was educated by him in the art of landscape painting. In January 1675 he is mentioned for the first time as affiliated with the Schildersbent, the guild of painters, under the pseudonym Affdruck (copyist) for his style so similar to that of his uncle Willem. A clear evolution in his artistic path coincides with the extended Roman stay. It is not known how much time de Heusch had remained in Rome, but certainly not little, since in 1696 he worked in Venice for the secretary Lucatelli and in his works there appear landscape motifs taken from Rome and its surroundings. In 1699, the artist returned to Utrecht where he died two years later.

Jacob de Heusch belongs to the generation of Dutchmen who visited Rome, for varying periods of time, in the last quarter of the 17th century. Unlike the Bamboccianti of the previous generation, including Johannes Lingelbach, who were mainly interested in people’s lives in the cities of Latium, these artists were instead attracted by the Roman landscape and its countryside, as immortalized by Claude Lorrain and Gaspard Dughet. They sketched the most interesting views and buildings seen during their walks. Most of these artists, as well as Jacob de Heusch, then used these sketches to make paintings of ideal landscapes, in the style of the masters mentioned above.

Most de Heusch’s works are freely conceived landscapes, containing topographic motifs in a style reminiscent of Gaspard Dughet and the baroque compositions of Salvator Rosa, with groups of figures in the foreground and effective architectural effects that probably influenced the works of the young Luca Carlevarijs.