Beskrivning: Se även beskrivning i den engelska versionen

Catalogue raisonné: Description in Flemish paintings C. 1600-C. 1800 III, Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 2010, cat.no. 89:

Technical notes: The support consists of a single
plate of copper with unevenly cut edges at the top and
bottom. It is less than 0.5 mm thick and thus lacks rigidity.
A number of earlier deformations can be seen that
result from inadequate handling. Initially the surface had
been given an even and smooth finish. There are no visible
tool marks on the verso.
The verso is partly covered by a thin preserved black
paint layer. Traces of an inscription on the verso in chalk,
now illegible.

The ground has been applied evenly over the copper
plate. The surface is covered with horizontal scratches in
the copper to provide a better grip for the paint layer.
Traces of underdrawing in a wet medium with a fine
brush. The motif is more visible in infrared reflectography
than in normal light. The woman in the foreground has
been added at a later stage in the painting as the logs are
visible through her in infra-red light. There are drawn
guidelines to indicate the architectural details in the background.
Pentimenti are present between the stairway leading to
the water and the boats, two figures sketched in here
have later been painted over. Today the motif resembles
a sketch but this is related to changes in the paint layer as
the organic pigments have faded.

The paint layer is thin and applied semi-transparently.
The central motif has been painted over the foreground
and background. Rapid schematic brushwork with glazes
that now appear to be totally or partly faded paint layers,
especially the blue and red glazes. White impasto highlights.
The painting underwent conservation treatment
in 1943.

Provenance: Coll. H. Schultz ; Coll. Gustaf Axén; gift
to the museum in 1943.

Bibliography: Granberg 1912, no. 132 (as Mattheus
Molanus); NM Cat. 1958, p. 226 (as anonymous Flemish
artist) NM Cat.1990, p. 166 (as attributed to Daniel van
Heil).

In this painting Daniel van Heil combines two of his
specialities, fire and winter effects. A group of mounted
Spanish soldiers riding along the village street in
the centre of the work away from the house they have
just set on fire, encounter resistance and a skirmish is
taking place to the left. In the right foreground a
group of villagers seek refuge in a pair of boats on the
canal.

Seated on a fallen tree trunk in the foreground is a
female figure, Patientia, holding a crucifix: at her feet
can be seen the corpse of a child and a dead lamb,
pierced by a sword. A winged genius is flying towards
her from behind.

This picture obviously alludes to reality in early 17th
century Europe, ravaged by the horrors of the Thirty
Years War.

GCB [End]

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Daniel Heil | Nederländsk stad plundras av spanjorerna | Nationalmuseum