Artwork
Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer op de wallen van Haarlem met haar vrouwencorps bij de hevigste aanval der Spanjaarden, 31 januari 1573
Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer op de wallen van Haarlem met haar vrouwencorps bij de hevigste aanval der Spanjaarden, 31 januari 1573 is an oil painting by Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer. It dates from 1845 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer leading a corps of women on the ramparts of Haarlem during a fierce Spanish attack on January 31, 1573.
The painting depicts Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer leading a corps of women on the ramparts of Haarlem during a fierce Spanish attack on January 31, 1573. As a history painting, the work visualizes a specific moment of civic defense during the Eighty Years' War, focusing on the legendary role of Hasselaer and her female militia. The subject serves as a representation of local heroism and the collective resistance of Haarlem's citizens against Spanish forces.
By centering the narrative on Hasselaer's leadership in this critical battle, the artwork commemorates the city's endurance and the extraordinary contribution of its women to the defense effort.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, reflecting the historical narrative genre popular in 19th-century Dutch art. Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer employed conventional oil pigments on a stretched canvas support, a standard practice for large-scale history paintings intended for museum display. The composition captures a dramatic moment with precise handling of light and detail characteristic of the period's academic style.
Measured at 248 cm in height and 300 cm in width, the piece was created in 1845 and later entered the collection of Adriaan van der Hoop, now housed in the Rijksmuseum and Amsterdam Museum.
History & Provenance
The painting was commissioned during the early nineteenth-century revival of interest in Dutch patriotic history and completed by Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer in 1845.
It was first owned by Adriaan van der Hoop, whose collection was bequeathed to the city of Amsterdam in 1854. Following this, the work entered the holdings of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it remains in the permanent collection.
The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, where it forms part of the collection of the Amsterdam Museum. It is specifically housed within the collection of Adriaan van der Hoop. The work was created in 1845 by Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer and depicts Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer during the siege of Haarlem.
The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they detail a history of exhibitions for this artwork.
Context
Created by Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer in 1845, this work is classified as a history painting depicting the defense of Haarlem. The canvas, measuring 248 by 300 cm, illustrates Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer leading her female corps during the Spanish siege of 1573. As a mid-nineteenth-century production, the piece reflects the genre's focus on national heroism and historical narrative.
The painting is currently held within the combined collections of the Rijksmuseum and the Amsterdam Museum, originating from the Adriaan van der Hoop collection.
Overview
Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaer op de wallen van Haarlem met haar vrouwencorps bij de hevigste aanval der Spanjaarden, 31 januari 1573 is a historical painting on canvas created by Dutch artist Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer in 1573, depicting a pivotal moment in the Siege of Haarlem during the Dutch Revolt.
Legacy
While specifics on the painting’s direct influence are scarce, it remains an important visual record of Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer’s legendary role in Dutch history and a testament to Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer’s contribution to historical genre painting in the Netherlands.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacobus Schoemaker Doyer (24 June 1792 – 9 June 1867) was a Dutch painter who specialised in genre art and historical painting.
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