KAREL VAN MANDER III (Delft 1609 – Copenhagen 1670)
Homer Composing the Song of Troy
oil on panel
24 x 18 inches (74.5 x 59.5 cm.)
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, New York, from whom acquired by
Otto Naumann, LTD, New York, by July 1997
Private Collection, Boston, 2020
LITERATURE
Juliette Germaine Roding, Karel van Mander III: Library and Oeuvre, volume 4, Museum of National History at Frederiksborg, 2020, P. 193, no. 185, (as present whereabouts unknown)
The Van Mander family of artists were from Flanders, but by 1584 had settled in Haarlem. Karel van Mander I, a noted painter and draughtsman, as well as a poet and man of letters, is best known for his Schilderboeck (Book of Painters) published in 1604. The work records the histories of early modern Dutch painters based on oral tradition and extensive correspondence with associates as well as the families of the deceased artists.[1]
Karel van Mander II was a tapestry designer who most importantly worked for Christian IV of Denmark, executing a series of tapestries to decorate Frederiksborg Castle. He had a large family with his wife Cornelia Rooswyck, of which Karel van Mander III was the eldest. Sadly, he died in 1623 when Karel Van Mander III was just 14. Afterwards during the same year his wife Cornelia traveled to Copenhagen to recover the payment still outstanding on the tapestries. The settlement with the King took many years and does not appear to have ever been fully resolved. Yet by 1626 Cornelia had moved her family to Copenhagen, and by 1633 owned a merchant’s house opposite Copenhagen’s Castle. Obviously, a resourceful woman, she established a grocery store in the house’s basement which featured a wide array of products. The King’s household, as well as his son, the court pharmacist and alchemist all became her clients.[2]
In all likelihood Karel van Mander III’s initial artistic training was with his father. The rest of his education remains unclear. By 1630 he had received his first commission to paint Christian IV’s portrait. Around the same time he married Maria Fern, a merchant’s daughter, and they had a son named Carel. More commissions for the King, as well as Prince Elect Christian, followed. The King also subsidized a study trip to Italy from 1636 – 1639. The journey took him to The Netherlands where he came into contact with Rembrandt and his school, the Utrecht School, and Rubens. He also went to Paris, and once in Italy was exposed to contemporary painters as well as those of earlier generations. By June 1639 he had returned home.[3]
Astonishingly at this time he committed a murder for which he had to pay reparations. The victim named Mads Madsen was stabbed to death in the street by Van Mander III, although there appears to have been mitigating circumstances. After this rocky return great success followed.[4]
From 1640 – 1670 Van Mander III was regarded as the most important court painter in Denmark, which afforded him great privileges. His portraiture ranged from miniatures to life-size. His clientele included the royal family, the nobility, rich merchants, as well as scholars and writers. He became the owner of a grand house in which his wife ran a guesthouse for visiting dignitaries. He established his own library as well as a Wunderkammer filled with scientific, historical, and ethnographic artifacts. Besides portraits he painted historical, literary, Biblical, and mythological subjects. He also wrote poetry and played several different instruments.[5]
Juliette Roding in her catalogue raisonné dates Homer Composing the Song of Troy to circa 1640, just after his return from Italy. It is a masterly work, reflective of his newly gained knowledge, decidedly different from the majority of his oeuvre. Interwoven into the subject of this panel are the leading passions of his life – painting, poetry, and music. Dr. Roding in relationship to this work has also noted a Dutch 1561 edition of Homer’s Odyssey in Van Mander III’s library, possibly originally owned by his grandfather.[6] Further the themes of the impermanence of life and ultimately redemption which permeate Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey, might have particularly resonated with the artist so soon after committing murder and perhaps are the underlying factors contributing to the painting’s distinctiveness.
In his book on Homer, Professor Robert Fowler wrote of these poems “There are moments when I think this stupendous masterpiece produced the better part of 3,000 years ago, fountainhead of Western literature and in many people’s view still its greatest work, is simply a miracle, a serious argument for divine intervention in human history”.[7] Van Mander III depicts Homer playing the violin while Troy burns in the background. His choice of Troy’s destruction serves as a link between the books, as The Iliad does not end with its annihilation and The Odyssey starts afterwards. His image of the Greek poet follows tradition, an elderly bearded man with a gaunt face and closed eyes. His blindness was said to be punishment for having slandered Helen of Troy.[8] The unseeing eyes may also be viewed as the “paradox that the blind poet sees more than the sighted”.[9] Van Mander III frequently employed a large white turban in his portraits, in this instance topped by a laurel wreath symbolizing the wearer as a writer.[10] His playing of a violin is an allusion to the ancient practice of musical accompaniment for poetry recitals.[11] The use of a violin is a charming anachronism as they were not invented until the early sixteenth century in Italy, whereas the lyre is mentioned both in The Iliad and The Odyssey.[12] The burning buildings of Troy further recall those of the Italian Renaissance, while the inflamed coloration of the panel brings to mind its Mannerist painters.
Van Mander III rarely signed his paintings.[13] This panel was recognized as the work of Van Mander III by Professor Leonard J. Slatkes, the Dutch Caravaggesque expert, when it was with Otto Naumann in New York in 1997. Juliette Roding has also confirmed Homer Composing the Song of Troy to be by Karel van Mander III in her 2020 publication on the artist. She has noted that a smaller version of this painting is in the collection of Gavnø Castle, Denmark.[14] Prior to Dr. Roding’s completion of her book she had been unable to locate this work. Consequently it gives us great pleasure to have it now available for sale.
We are indebted to Dr. Juliette Germaine Roding for her invaluable help in the writing of this entry.
[1] Biographical information taken from E.K.J. Reznicek, “Van Mander” in From Rembrandt to Vermeer, The Grove Dictionary of Art, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2000, pp. 205-206, 208; and Hessel Miedema, “Karel van Mander I” in Karel van Mander, A Dynasty of Artists, The Museum of National History at Frederiksborg, volume 3, 2020, p. 22.
[2] Thomas Lyngby, “Forward” in Karel van Mander, op.cit., volume 3, unpaginated; Mette Skougaard, “Tapestries at Frederiksborg” in Karel van Mander, volume 3, op.cit., p. 45; and Juliette Roding, “Karel van Mander III – Background, Education, Life” in Karel van Mander, volume 3, op.cit., pp. 80-81.
[3] Thomas Lyngby, op.cit.; and Juliette Roding, volume 3, op.cit., pp. 83, 85-86, 147.
[4] Juliette Roding, volume 3, op.cit., p. 86.
[5] Juliette Roding, volume 3, op.cit., pp. 83, 115 and 148; and Thomas Lyngby, “Karel van Mander III’s House in Östergade, Copenhagen” in Karel van Mander, op.cit., p. 199.
[6] Written communication from Juliette Roding, dated October 7, 2020.
[7] Robert L. Fowler, The Cambridge Companion to Homer, Cambridge University Press, New York, 2004, unpaginated.
[8] James Hall, “Homer” in Dictionary of Subjects & Symbols in Art, Harper & Row, Publishers, New York, 1974, p. 155.
[9] Robert L. Fowler, op.cit.
[10] Juliette Roding, volume 3, op.cit., p. 136; and James Hall, op.cit., p. 190.
[11] James Hall, op.cit., p. 155.
[12] “Blind Homer – Mattia Preti” at univ. of michigan / umich.edu.
[13] Juliette Roding, volume 3, op.cit., p. 104.
[14] Juliette Roding, written communication, op.cit.