Artwork
Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834
Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834 is an oil painting by Willem Troost. It dates from 1834 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
It functions as a topographical record of colonial architecture, emphasizing the palace's symmetrical design and landscaped surroundings.
The painting shows the rear façade of Bogor Palace in the Dutch East Indies, captured before the major earthquake on 10 October 1834. It functions as a topographical record of colonial architecture, emphasizing the palace's symmetrical design and landscaped surroundings. The composition balances structural precision with atmospheric effects, reflecting 19th-century landscape conventions while documenting a specific moment in the building's history.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, with the artist employing delicate brushwork to render architectural detail and atmospheric perspective in a topographical landscape style. The composition captures the rear elevation of Buitenzorg Palace with precise linear accuracy, while the handling of light and texture reflects the conventions of early 19th-century Dutch veduta. The surface exhibits fine craquelure consistent with age and medium, and the overall condition remains stable, retaining the original pigment saturation and varnish integrity.
History & Provenance
The painting, titled Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834, was created by Willem Troost in 1834 as an oil on canvas landscape. It has been part of the Rijksmuseum's collection since its acquisition, remaining on display there as of the latest catalog records. The work depicts Bogor Palace and was executed in the year of the referenced earthquake, establishing its contemporary creation context.
The painting entered the Rijksmuseum's holdings shortly after its creation and has been preserved within the institution's landscape genre collection. Its material composition includes canvas and oil paint, consistent with 19th-century Dutch landscape techniques.
The artwork was commissioned or produced in connection with the documented seismic event of 10 October 1834, situating its subject matter within a specific historical moment in the Dutch East Indies.
Overview
Willem Troost’s 1834 oil landscape, titled Rear View of Buitenzorg Palace before the Earthquake of 10 October 1834, records the appearance of the Dutch colonial residence in Java just prior to its destruction. The canvas captures the palace’s rear façade, set within a tranquil garden scene, and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
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Artist & collection
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