Die Nederlandse sewentiende eeuse portrette in die Johannesburgse kunsmuseum

Abstract

In hierdie Verhandeling kom die agt Nederlandse 17e eeuse portrette, aanwesig in die Johannesburgse Kunsmuseum onder bespreking, waarvan vier uitvoerig, naamlik: Cornelis van der Voort (?) a) “Portret van ‘n dame” en b) “Portret van ‘n heer” kom oorspronklik uit die versameling van Laura Beit van Hamburg wat die skilderye aan die Johannesburgse Kunsmuseum bemaak het uit haar boedel in 1919. Hierdie portrette is beskryf as die portrette van Dirck Alewijn en Maria Schuurman deur Prof. Bax en deur hom as identies beskou met die portrette deur Jonkvrouwe C.H. de Jonge genoem. Hierdie identifikasie word egter om verskillende redes deur my verwerp. Met die skenking van die skilderye aan die Museum was die portrette toegeskryf aan Paulus Moreelse. Die verandering na Cornelis van der Voort het waarskynlik gekom via Prof. Bax se publikasie in 1952. Beide kunstenaars, Moreelse en Van der Voort as moontlike skilders van die portrette is vir my onannneemlik, maar wat wel vir my moontlik gelyk het, is ‘n toeskrywing aan ‘n onbekende Suid-Nederlandse kunstenaar.

In this thesis the eight 17th Century Dutch portraits, exhibited in the Johannesburg Art Gallery, come under discussion of which four are in detail viz.: Cornelis van der Voort (?) a) “portrait of a lady” and b) “Portrait of a gentleman” came from the collection of Laura Beit of Hamburg. She bequeathed the paintings to the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 1919. These portraits were described by Prof. Bax as those of Dirck Alewijn and Maria Schuurman and are regarded by him as the same portraits mentioned by Jonkvrouwe C.H. de Jonge. But for various reasons I disagree with this identification of the portraits. When the paintings were donated to the Museum they were attributed to Paulus Moreelse. The subsequent change favouring Cornelis van der Voort apparently came as a result of Prof. Bax's publication of 1952. I regard it as unacceptable that either of the painters, Moreelse or Van der Voort, could be responsible for the portraits. What does seem possible to me is to attribute the portraits to a completely unknown artist from the Spanish Netherlands.