ADAM WILLAERTS (1577-1664)

Harbour view with Dutch galleons at sea, fishermen on the beach and figures on a wooden pier near a castle, 1633. Panel. Signed with monogram 'A.W.' and dated 1633 (difficult to read). Retouching. Provenance and certificate: Gallery Florence de Voldère, Paris, 19.4.2007 Adam Willaerts was born in London in 1577 to Flemish parents who had fled to England because of the persecution of Protestants in the Southern Neterlands. At the age of 25, Willaerts settled in Utrecht where, in 1611, he became the co-founder of the local St Luke's guild. There, he concentrated mainly on painting town-, seaside- and beachscapes. His compositions in the Flemish style contain a lot of narrative and imagination. On the left, for example, we see the farewell of the departing sailors with their families. Before boarding the sloop, they embrace their children and wife one last time. In addition to his paintings, Willaerts also receives several decorative commissions, such as those from the city of Dordrecht in 1626 and from Kronborg Castle in Denmark. Willaerts lived and worked in Utrecht until his death in 1664. 48.5 x 84 cm (63 x 99 cm) Condition: Dit schilderij bevindt zich in goede, doch gerestaureerde staat. Over het gehele paneel bevinden zich retouches, voornamelijk de contouren zijn wat versterkt door lijnen wat te versterken. Dit is zichtbaar met UV licht. Ook in de lucht bevinden zich overschilderingen. Uiterst rechts lijkt er een gehele verticale strook bijgewerkt te zijn. Graag wijzen wij er u ook op dat het signatuur en datum dat werd vermeld in de documentatie van Galerie Florence De Voldère moeilijk leesbaar is. Wij kunnen dit enkel beschrijven als 'sporen van signatuur'.