Nicolas de Gyselaer
Church interior with the Angel announcing to Zechariah the birth of St John Baptist
Oil on panel : 55,6 X 73 cm
Signed bottom right “ND. GISELAER FE”
Utrecht, Centraal Museum
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Painting for Sale
Gyselaer, Nicolas de
"Church interior"
In short
Nicolas de Gyselaer was a perspective painter active in Utrecht; he moved here in 1616.
In the middle of a Gothic church interior the Scribes and Pharisees are trying to trick Christ into condemning a woman taken into adultery, thus violating either the Jewish or the Roman law. Laconically he wrote on the floor of the Temple “he that is without sin, cast the first stone”.
About Nicolas de Gyselaer
Dutch painter
Dordrecht 1583 – 1654/1659 Utrecht
His name is sometimes spelt “Nicolaes de Giselaer”; our painter did indeed sign his works “ND Giselaer”.
Painter of architectural scenes: church interiors and palace views (both interiors and exteriors).
It is not known whom he studied with, nor if he himself had any pupils.
De Gyselaer was born in Dordrecht.
He married in 1616 in Leiden with a girl from Utrecht. The couple went to live in Utrecht, where de Gyselaer joined the local Painter’s Guild in that same year of 1616/1617.
Cornelis van Poelenburch is known to have painted, at some occasions, the staffage for de Gyselaer.
About the subject of our painting
This parable was written down in the Bible in the Gospel of St John.
The Scribes and Pharisees brought before Jesus an adulteress. They asked for his opinion about her crime, hoping he will offend either the Jewish or the Roman law. By Jewish law this woman should be sentenced to death by stoning. But Roman law forbade the Jews to enforce the death penalty.
Jesus stooped down and with his finger he wrote on the floor of the Temple “he that is without sin, cast the first stone”. The accusers leave one by one and Jesus then forgave her.
8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
8:4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
About our painting
Funny enough the same dog appears in an interior scene in the museum of Groningen, representing a group of musicians.
Apparently Ellis Dullaart from the RKD at The Hague had a bad day in March 2015: clearly based on bad photographs she stated that our painting, if painted by de Gyselaer was in bad condition (?), or that it was painted in the manner of or after de Gyselaer. I do not subscribe to this triple opinion.
Comparative paintings
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