RKD STUDIES

By this time of this last letterboard, Van Hoogstraten had already undertaken his second major voyage, this time to England. The restoration of English monarchy in 1660 brought the promise of a revival in art patronage at the royal court.¹ In London, Van Hoogstraten sought to present himself as the innovative master of visual illusion in paint. This was, after all, his route to conquest at the Imperial court of Ferdinand III (1608-1657) in Vienna, over ten years earlier. The English court differed from Vienna, however, and King Charles II (1630-1685) favoured portraiture, and the sensual brush of Peter Lely (1618-1680). Van Hoogstraten evidently did not gain a toehold at the royal court, but he did enjoy success instead in the more congenial company of well-placed connoisseurs interested in science and optics.

Thomas Povey (c. 1613/14-in/before 1705), Treasurer to the Duke of York and also member of the Royal Society, commissioned Van Hoogstraten to paint an illusionistic interior view of a corridor through a doorway [38]. It was of course a reprisal of The slippers, but this time with a life-size doorway. Van Hoogstraten took the opportunity to vastly expand the scene, also in depth, giving a view down a hallway with various spaces on either side, to a far room at the end. He could draw on his established painterly repertoire of illusion and perspective, but added elements such as reflections in the shiny surface of the tiles, to enhance the experience of space. The figures seated at a table to the right have been interpreted as conducting negotiations for marriage, echoing the amorous tensions in the Ter Borch interior he previously quoted in The slippers. It seems likely that Van Hoogstraten had brought that painting with him along to England as a calling card.

When Van Hoogstraten subsequently received a commission for a new perspective piece from Povey, he chose a new approach [39]. He concocted a fully imaginary view of classical architecture, complete with columns and rustication, encompassing deeper and more expansive space, and doorkijkjes into further architectural spaces and landscapes outside. He will no doubt have studied the architecture of Antiquity and the Renaissance in Italy, but in this painting, the artist was more likely playing to local taste by drawing more direct inspiration from the Neoclassical buildings of Inigo Jones (1573-1652) in London. The brick wall on the left, and the prominent placement of a dog, cat, parrot and monkey serve not only to entertain, but also to demonstrate Van Hoogstraten’s abilities in various areas of painting that were normally reserved for specialists. As with his letterboards, form and space are articulated and accentuated by sharp raking light, often highlighting edges – in addition to variation of colour and texture. Van Hoogstraten paid particular attention to this device, known as schamping, in his treatise.² But now, linear perspective also contributes to a powerful impression of monumental forms and spaces. Around the same time Van Hoogstraten also applied it, although loosely, in a similar, large depiction of the interior of Westminster Cathedral [40].³ However, it was his imaginary architectural perspectives that proved more successful with patrons, and he continued applying this concept in England and subsequently in The Netherlands, into the following decade.

At the same time, Van Hoogstraten was able to eke out several portrait commissions during his English sojourn, in the face of withering competition. The highlight is clearly the full-length Portrait of Sir Norton Knatchbull, dated 1667 [41]. It represents a unique synthesis of Dutch-bred realism with the Flemish elegance of a previous generation of artists. The pose directly adopts that of King Charles I (1600-1649) standing beside his horse, in the portrait by Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641). But instead of following Van Dyck’s light and fluid brush work, inspired by Titian (c. 1488/90-1576), Van Hoogstraten applied strong directional light and smooth modelling with clear and crisp forms, to give the sitter a commanding presence, even in his restrained costume. Texture and contrast are varied to bring forms forward or push them back, as Van Hoogstraten also describes in his treatise.⁴ Consistent with his earlier portraits, the sitter exudes confidence, underscored by strong but even lighting of the face from the front, even yielding the slight suggestion of glow. The impression of calm and clarity emerges from the artist’s scientific rationalism and sets his portraits apart from those of his contemporaries, in particular Peter Lely, giving him his own distinct place in Baroque portraiture. The notable result evidently satisfied, as the artist received at least two further commissions, albeit more modest ones, from the family.⁵

38
Samuel van Hoogstraten
View in a corridor of a private house, dated 1662
Dyrham, Dyrham Park, inv./cat.nr. NT 453733

39
Samuel van Hoogstraten
View of a courtyard with a man reading, dated 1664 (?)
Dyrham, Dyrham Park, inv./cat.nr. NT 453771

40
attributed to Samuel van Hoogstraten
View in the north transept of Westminster Abbey in London, c. 1663-1664
Dordrecht, Dordrechts Museum, inv./cat.nr. DM/984/588

41
Samuel van Hoogstraten
Portrait of Sir Norton Knatchbull, 1st Baronet (1602-1685), dated 1667
Dordrecht, Dordrechts Museum, inv./cat.nr. DM/021/1451