Lot 86: Gerrit Toorenburgh , Amsterdam 1732 - 1785 Nijkerk A winter view of Leiden with figures skating on the Oude Rijn, the Lage Rijndijk with De Ooievaar Mill to the right, the Spanjaardsbrug in the foreground, the Zijlpoort and the Marekerk in the

signed and dated lower left: G Toorenburgh f 1771 oil on canvas

measurements note 34.9 by 49.4 cm.

With Agnew & Sons, London, by 1942 (according to a label on the reverse);
Anonymous sale, Edinburgh, Lyon & Turnbull, 28 November 2007, lot 23.

OTHER PROPERTIES
This view seen from the east shows a familiar view of Leiden with the distinct dome of the Marekerk in the distance. This sight has been depicted on multiple occasions, see for example a drawing by the 18th Century Jacob Timmermans of the exact same view in summer, including the Hooglandse Kerk in the distance left (see fig. 1), and a drawing by Jacob Esselens in the Teyler Museum, Haarlem (inv. no. Q 64), which also depicts the same view, albeit somewhat broader and without the draw-bridge.υ1

Toorenburgh,υ who studied under the well-known Haarlem painter of cityscapes Jan ten Compe (1713-1761) must have travelled around Holland, for apart from Leiden, he also painted views from Delft, one of which was recorded with Robert Noortman in 1974, from Utrecht, one of which is in the Centraal Museum, Utrecht,υ2 and of course from Amsterdam, sold in these Rooms, 6 May 2006, lot 112. We are grateful to Erik Schmitz of the Stadsarchief Amsterdam for his help in identifying the view in this lot. 1. See M.C. Plomp, The Dutch Drawings in the Teyler Museum, Haarlem/Ghent/Doornspijk 1997, vol. II, p. 146, no. 133, reproduced.
2. Centraal Museum Utrecht, Catalogus der schilderijen, Utrecht 1952, p. 145, no. 311.