Continuing
with our weeklong look at artist Simon
de Vlieger, (born 1601), we see here one of his pen, ink and wash drawings
of Brederode Castle.
The
castle, also called the Ruins of
Brederode, can be found in Santpoort-Zuid. The castle was built sometime in the second
half of the 13th Century by William
I van Brederode (1215-1285), a descendant of the lords of van Teylingen. The castle was part of the estates given to
the Brederode family by the count of Holland.
Brederode
means broad wood, and references the
woodland that was cleared away to build the castle. The castle was initially little more than a
tower, but Dirk II van Brederode had
the tower pulled down in 1300 and built a proper castle in its place.
That
Brederode is in ruins is no surprise.
During the 1426 siege of Haarlem, the southern part of the castle was
destroyed. In 1492, the castle was plundered
by German soldiers. In 1573, Lancelot van Brederode was beheaded by
Spanish soldiers, and the castle was set afire.
In 1679,
Wofert van Brederode, last of the
Brederode, died, and the ruins became the property of the Dutch Republic. In the 19th Century the ruins were
one of the first buildings to be restored by the government, becoming the first
national monument in the Netherlands.
While
this is not a finished drawing, de Vlieger manages to suggest the sense of ruin
that pervades the place. The grand
towers of the castle loom in the distance, with the simpler village walls and
houses in the foreground. It’s unlikely
that de Vlieger is making some kind of statement in this sketch, but, rather,
that he planned to use it for a more finished work.
De
Vlieger manages light and shade with a simple gray wash. However, he manages to etch more concrete
details with a fine pen, suggesting the movement of scrub in the foreground,
and the shaggy quality of hay on the cottage roof.
Just a
moment to reflect on the importance of sketching: artists think with their hands, as well as
with their brains and their optic nerves.
To make a sketch to reference for future work is one of the core methods
of an artist, and it can teach us a great deal about how they think.
Clearly,
de Vlieger thought in terms of light and shade, value and tone. There are a few clearly delineated details,
but the focus is on composition and light.
These values would provide the key for his finished, and highly
polished, paintings.
More de Vlieger tomorrow!
Brederode Castle Today
2 comments:
Could you tell me where you found this drawing? Best wishes, Taco
Sorry -- I have no idea. I research Jade Sphinx pieces sometimes months in advance, and by that point, where an image comes from is lost in the grab bag I laughingly call my memory.
Thanks for reading!
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