View Along the Amstel
- Date
- c.1660
- Material
- Oil on panel
- made in
- Netherlands, Europe
- Classification
- Paintings
- Collection
- European Art to 1800
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 238
- Dimensions
- 13 3/4 x 18 3/4 in. (34.9 x 47.6 cm)
framed: 23 3/4 x 28 1/4 x 2 1/4 in. (60.3 x 71.8 x 5.7 cm) - Credit Line
- Friends Endowment Fund and funds given in memory of Milton H. Tucker
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 1:1982
NOTES
Here, a thicket of trees with entangled limbs contrasts with the shimmering surface of the Amstel River, which flows through the low-lying city of Amsterdam. A boat glides on the water while travelers walk along the riverside path. Along the horizon line, a church spire emerges from the distant city. In response to expanded markets, 17th-century Dutch painters developed specializations. Meindert Hobbema focused on wooded landscapes such as this one.
Provenance
by 1828 - still in 1835
G. Agar Ellis, Lord Dover, London, England [1]
by 1896 -
Sedelmeyer Gallery (Charles Sedelmeyer), Paris, France [2]
Dr. Max Wassermann, Paris, France
F. Kleinberger, Paris, France [3]
by c.1904 - still in 1917
Marcus Kappel, Berlin, Germany [4]
Ellen Rathenau-Ettlinger, Oxford, England [5]
1944 - still in 1959
Nicholas Argenti, London, England [6]
by 1981 - 1982
Edward Speelman, Ltd. (Anthony Speelman), London, England [7]
1982 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Edward Speelman, Ltd. [8]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the 1912 catalogue raisonné by de Groot [de Groot, Cornelis Hofstede. "A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch Painters of the Seventeenth Century," v.4. London: Macmillan & Co., 1912, cat. 254, 283]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] In an exhibition catalogue from 1828, G. A. Ellis is listed as the owner of the painting ["Catalogue of Pictures by Italian, Spanish, Flemish, and Dutch Masters." London: British Institution, 1828, cat. 84]. Mr. Ellis became Lord Dover in 1831. An 1835 catalogue raisonné of Dutch Masters lists this work in the collection of the late Lord Dover [Smith, John. "A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish, and French Painters," v.6. London: Smith and Son, 1835, cat. 96].
[2] There are two entries for this painting in de Groot's catalogue raisonné, both of which include Sedelmeyer in the provenance. The painting was included for sale by Charles Sedelmeyer at Sedelmeyer Gallery in 1896 ["Illustrated Catalogue of the Third Series of 100 Paintings by Old Masters of the Dutch, Flemish, Italian, French and English Schools, being a portion of the Sedelmeyer Gallery." Paris: Sedelmeyer Gallery, 1896, cat. 15].
[3] The entry for this painting in a 1914 publication on the Marcus Kappel collection includes the art dealer F. Kleinberger, Paris, in the list of previous owners [Bode, Wilhelm von. "Die Gemäldesammlung Marcus Kappel in Berlin." Berlin: Julius Bard, 1914, plate 11].
[4] According to the entry for cat. 254 in the 1912 catalogue raisonné, this painting entered Marcus Kappel's collection about 1904 or 1905, and was still in Kappel's collection at the time of publication. The painting is included in the 1914 book on Marcus Kappel's collection (see note [3]), and is referenced as in the Kappel collection in a 1917 publication [Bode, Wilhelm von. "Die Meister der Holländischen und Vlämischen Malerschulen." Leipzig: Verlag von E. A. Seemann, 1917, p. 190]. A 1945 publication from the Arts Council of Great Britain indicates that Kappel had purchased the painting before 1914, and that it was purchased by Nicholas Argenti in 1944 ["Dutch Paintings of the 17th Century." Arts Council of Great Britain, 1945, cat. 11].
[5] The invoice dated February 19, 1982 from Edward Speelman, Ltd. to the Museum includes much of the same provenance information as is provided in the 1912 catalogue raisonné, in addition to one previous owner not found elsewhere: "Mrs. Etlinger" [invoice, SLAM document files]. While no other published sources for this painting include Mrs. Ettlinger in the provenance, another painting ("Portrait of a Woman," by Gerrit Dou) once in Marcus Kappel's collection, also includes Mrs. Ettlinger as a previous owner [Baer, Ronni. "Gerrit Dou, 1613-1675: Master Painter in the Age of Rembrandt." Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 2000, cat. 10, p. 82-83]. The Dou portrait is recorded as passing by descent from Marcus Kappel, Berlin to Ellen Ettlinger, Oxford, England. The Museum's painting likely shares a similar provenance.
[6] A photograph of the reverse of the painting shows two circular labels which read: Collection of Nicholas Argenti 1944 [photograph, SLAM document files]. Argenti was the lender of the painting in a 1945 Arts Council of Great Britain exhibition (see note [4]). Wolfgang Stechow's 1959 article lists Mr. Argenti as the current owner [Stechow, Wolfgang. "The Early Years of Hobbema," The Art Quarterly, v.22 (Spring) 1959, p.11, 13]. Stechow's 1966 publication, however, indicates that this painting is from the former Argenti collection in London [Stechow, Wolfgang. "Dutch Landscape Painting of the Seventeenth Century," London: Phaidon, 1966, p. 60].
[7] Correspondence between Edward Speelman, Ltd. and the Museum regarding this painting began in November 1981 [SLAM document files]. The sale was completed February 19, 1982 [invoice, SLAM document files].
[8] Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 16, 1982.
G. Agar Ellis, Lord Dover, London, England [1]
by 1896 -
Sedelmeyer Gallery (Charles Sedelmeyer), Paris, France [2]
Dr. Max Wassermann, Paris, France
F. Kleinberger, Paris, France [3]
by c.1904 - still in 1917
Marcus Kappel, Berlin, Germany [4]
Ellen Rathenau-Ettlinger, Oxford, England [5]
1944 - still in 1959
Nicholas Argenti, London, England [6]
by 1981 - 1982
Edward Speelman, Ltd. (Anthony Speelman), London, England [7]
1982 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Edward Speelman, Ltd. [8]
Notes:
The main source for this provenance is the 1912 catalogue raisonné by de Groot [de Groot, Cornelis Hofstede. "A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch Painters of the Seventeenth Century," v.4. London: Macmillan & Co., 1912, cat. 254, 283]. Exceptions and other supporting documents are noted.
[1] In an exhibition catalogue from 1828, G. A. Ellis is listed as the owner of the painting ["Catalogue of Pictures by Italian, Spanish, Flemish, and Dutch Masters." London: British Institution, 1828, cat. 84]. Mr. Ellis became Lord Dover in 1831. An 1835 catalogue raisonné of Dutch Masters lists this work in the collection of the late Lord Dover [Smith, John. "A Catalogue Raisonné of the Works of the Most Eminent Dutch, Flemish, and French Painters," v.6. London: Smith and Son, 1835, cat. 96].
[2] There are two entries for this painting in de Groot's catalogue raisonné, both of which include Sedelmeyer in the provenance. The painting was included for sale by Charles Sedelmeyer at Sedelmeyer Gallery in 1896 ["Illustrated Catalogue of the Third Series of 100 Paintings by Old Masters of the Dutch, Flemish, Italian, French and English Schools, being a portion of the Sedelmeyer Gallery." Paris: Sedelmeyer Gallery, 1896, cat. 15].
[3] The entry for this painting in a 1914 publication on the Marcus Kappel collection includes the art dealer F. Kleinberger, Paris, in the list of previous owners [Bode, Wilhelm von. "Die Gemäldesammlung Marcus Kappel in Berlin." Berlin: Julius Bard, 1914, plate 11].
[4] According to the entry for cat. 254 in the 1912 catalogue raisonné, this painting entered Marcus Kappel's collection about 1904 or 1905, and was still in Kappel's collection at the time of publication. The painting is included in the 1914 book on Marcus Kappel's collection (see note [3]), and is referenced as in the Kappel collection in a 1917 publication [Bode, Wilhelm von. "Die Meister der Holländischen und Vlämischen Malerschulen." Leipzig: Verlag von E. A. Seemann, 1917, p. 190]. A 1945 publication from the Arts Council of Great Britain indicates that Kappel had purchased the painting before 1914, and that it was purchased by Nicholas Argenti in 1944 ["Dutch Paintings of the 17th Century." Arts Council of Great Britain, 1945, cat. 11].
[5] The invoice dated February 19, 1982 from Edward Speelman, Ltd. to the Museum includes much of the same provenance information as is provided in the 1912 catalogue raisonné, in addition to one previous owner not found elsewhere: "Mrs. Etlinger" [invoice, SLAM document files]. While no other published sources for this painting include Mrs. Ettlinger in the provenance, another painting ("Portrait of a Woman," by Gerrit Dou) once in Marcus Kappel's collection, also includes Mrs. Ettlinger as a previous owner [Baer, Ronni. "Gerrit Dou, 1613-1675: Master Painter in the Age of Rembrandt." Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 2000, cat. 10, p. 82-83]. The Dou portrait is recorded as passing by descent from Marcus Kappel, Berlin to Ellen Ettlinger, Oxford, England. The Museum's painting likely shares a similar provenance.
[6] A photograph of the reverse of the painting shows two circular labels which read: Collection of Nicholas Argenti 1944 [photograph, SLAM document files]. Argenti was the lender of the painting in a 1945 Arts Council of Great Britain exhibition (see note [4]). Wolfgang Stechow's 1959 article lists Mr. Argenti as the current owner [Stechow, Wolfgang. "The Early Years of Hobbema," The Art Quarterly, v.22 (Spring) 1959, p.11, 13]. Stechow's 1966 publication, however, indicates that this painting is from the former Argenti collection in London [Stechow, Wolfgang. "Dutch Landscape Painting of the Seventeenth Century," London: Phaidon, 1966, p. 60].
[7] Correspondence between Edward Speelman, Ltd. and the Museum regarding this painting began in November 1981 [SLAM document files]. The sale was completed February 19, 1982 [invoice, SLAM document files].
[8] Minutes of the Acquisitions and Loans Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, February 16, 1982.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.