An eglomisé painting of Muiderpoort in Amsterdam
Etched gold and silver foil and polychrome oil painting behind glass in an ebonised and gilt softwood frame. A very rare and finely etched depiction of the view over the Singel showing the Neoclassical building of Muiderpoort with its portico, dome, and tall lantern. Signed lower centre "Zeuner. Inv: 1779:" With localised losses of pigment. H frame 37.5, W 46.6 cm.
Amsterdam, Jonas Zeuner, 1779.
The Muiderpoort city gate forms part of the old fortifications of Amsterdam and is today located on the crossing of Plantage Middenlaan and Sarphatistraat. The previous building collapsed in 1769 due to defective foundations, and the gate shown here was erected in 1770.
This composition is based on an illustration from "Nieuwe atlas, van de voornaamste gebouwen en gezigten der stad Amsterdam, met derzelver beknopte beschryvingen" published by Pierre Fouquet Jr. in 1760. The sheet dated 1771 "Gezicht van de Nieuw Gebouwde Muider-Poort tot Amsterdam" was made by Caspar Philips Jacobsz.
Jonas Zeuner was born in Kassel in 1727. He arrived in Amsterdam in around 1750, hoping to make a living as an artist. He was specialised in a particularly elegant style of reverse glass painting known as eglomisé using etched gold and silver foil. His depictions of buildings and river landscapes with figures form a graceful and effective contrast against the soft, atmospheric oil painting of the sky. The majority of his works are signed and dated between 1770 and 1814.
Provenance
West German private ownership.
Literature
Cf. Ryser, Verzauberte Bilder Die Kunst der Malerei hinter Glas, Munich 1991, p. 270 f.
An eglomisé panel signed “Zeuner inv.” with a portrait of Ericus Fridericus Alberti is housed in the Corning Museum of Glass (acc.no. 66.3.5). The same panel can also be found in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam (inv. no. SK-C-1569) as well as five depictions of Dutch landscapes signed by Zeuner.