German-born Hans Jurriaensz. van Baden studied architectural painting under Dirck van Delen. From 1635 until his death in 1677 he worked in Amsterdam. 

He is best-known for his church interiors holding a biblical staffage, but his most sought after subjects are his palace courtyards, such as ours. 

 

 

Dutch painter of German origin

Steinbach in Baden (Germany) circa 1604 – 1677 Amsterdam

 

Painter of church interiors and architectural scenes.

 

Also known as Jan Jurriaensz. or as Johannes Jeuriaensz. van Baden.

In his signature he called himself Hans, son of Georg, thus signing “HGVan Baden”. 

 

In 1633 van Baden is actually mentioned as a sailor, but already in 1635 as a painter.

 

He lived in Arnemuiden, in Zeeland (on the island Walcheren, close to Middelburg) between 1633 and 1635. During those years he married for the first time.

 

In Arnemuiden (one hour walking from Middelburg) van Baden studied painting under Dirck van Delen (Heusden circa 1604/05 – 1671 Arnemuiden), one of the best Dutch 17th century painters of church interiors and of architectural subjects.

As his pupil van Baden must have had access to Van Delen’s important collection of 388 engravings and of 41 books with drawings and engravings about architectural themes. 

Van Delen had grown up in Breda, married in Middelburg in 1625 and lived in Arnemuiden from 1626 until his death in 1671. 

 

Van Baden must have moved to Amsterdam in 1635, not only to settle as a painter, but also to marry for the second time that very year. He remained here from 1635 until his death in 1677.

Our painter would actually marry another two times: probably in 1652 and in 1663.

 

Paintings by van Baden can be found in several museums: 

- two at the Louvre in Paris;

- three at the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen;

- one at the Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie Joseph Dechelette in Roanne;

- one, representing a scene from a play at the theatre of Amsterdam from 1653, at the Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida;

- one at the Museum of Foreign Art in Riga, Latvia;

- even the largest museum of Kazakhstan, The Kasteyev State Museum of Arts, holds an oval painting by van Baden.

I should also mention two church interiors at the Catharijneconvent Museum in Utrecht which in my opinion have rather doubtfully been attributed to van Baden.

 

 

Van Baden regularly chose for an oval form for his panels, which is rather unusual in 17th century Dutch painting. 

Two of the three paintings by van Baden at the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen are also oval shaped and they have approximately the same dimensions as our panel.

 

Most of van Baden’s paintings represent church interiors that often hold a biblical staffage. His palace views with elegant figures, such as our painting, are much rarer and much more sought after.

 

The transparency of the figures in our painting is due to the fact that this staffage was added by a second painter on top of the finished perspective painting by van Baden. He often had, but not here, Jan Christiaensz. Micker (Amsterdam 1598/1600 – 1664 Amsterdam), paint the figure staffage.

 

Our painting is closely related to: 

- an unsigned, rectangular painting by van Baden, which also dates from 1637, today in the United Kingdom’s Government Art Collection;

- a signed, rectangular painting by van Baden, sold at Christie’s Amsterdam, 16/11/05. 

 

 

Because these palace views of van Baden are rare and sought after.