(Amsterdam 1609–1680)
The Taking of Christ; and
The Veil of Saint Veronica,
oil on panel, each 54.4 x 41.4 cm, framed, a pair

Provenance:
Private collection, France, until 2005;
with Johnny Van Haeften, London, 2005;
Private European collection, 2017;
where acquired by the present owner

The present lot comprises two works, which, given their formats and subjects, are probably part of a now-dispersed series recounting the Passion of Christ.

The first, the Taking of Christ, depicts the moment of Christ’s arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Its bold chiaroscuro, resulting from light effects cast by a burning torch that shines on the armour of the soldiers and faces of the figures, reveals the influence of Rembrandt. However, the suggestion that Santvoort was once a pupil of the Amsterdam master has not been sustained by recent scholarship. On the right of the picture an episode is shown from John 18:10 ‘Thereupon Simon Peter drew the sword he was wearing and struck at the High Priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear.’ The second picture, which occurs later in the story of the Passion, shows the finely draped form of Veronica, kneeling with a veil to mop the face of Christ as he struggles under the burden of his cross en route to Golgotha. According to legend, the features of Christ miraculously became imprinted on the linen, making a vera icon or ‘true image’.

Santvoort came from an illustrious line of artists. His grandfather was Pieter Pietersz. son of the Pieter Aertsen, originator of still-life painting in the north and the family eye for detail and interest in textures may be seen, albeit in an understated manner, in the present lot. Santvoort began to paint in 1632. A date for these paintings may be indicated by a stylistic comparison with the artist’s Supper at Emmaus, circa 1633 in the Louvre, Paris (inv. no. 1828) which has a similarly Tenebristic setting of figures beneath dramatic overarching darkness. The present pictures could then be placed at the very start of Santvoort’s career and are thus important documents for the formation of his style. By 1636, Santvoort was a member of the Amsterdam guild. In 1641, Santvoort married Baertgen Pont, by this time he was already a wealthy man. No works survive dating from after 1645, which suggests that having grown wealthy, he more or less stopped painting, although he retained a prominent position in the painters’ guild. He was appointed dean (hoofdman) in 1658 and was still acting as an appraiser of paintings in 1678.