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Lot Essay
Pyke Koch was one of the most important Dutch artists of the interbellum, famous for his technique and known for his ambiguous subjects. Together with artists like Carel Willink and Wim Schuhmacher he gave shape to realism between the wars, called Magisch realisme, clearly connected to Neue Sachlichkeit in Germany.
Koch depicted the chimney sweep three times in total of which the present lot is the earliest. The other two are Staande Schoorsteenveger I from 1943 (Blotkamp no.36, on loan to museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam) and Staande Schoorsteenveger II, from 1944 (Blotkamp no.38, Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague). The two later paintings show a standing chimney sweep next to a chimney, comparable to the Saint Sebastian of Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna. The subject of the chimney sweep refers to sexuality, which can be concluded from ribald songs of that period.
The present lot shows a reclining chimney sweep in a closed garden with vegetation. The chimney sweep is dreaming between the nettles and has a mysterious smile on his face. He holds a little blue flower in his hand, which could indicate l’amour blue, a reference to homosexuality or represents a forget-me-not, a symbol of hope and love. Bram Kempers suggests (Blotkamp/Kempers 1995) that this flower was painted by Koch and then removed because of a too explicit reference to homosexuality. Koch has painted it back again at the request of the family of the present owners in the 1970’s. The fence around the garden is closed with an obvious lock, a possible reference to an unattainable secret love. Bram Kempers wrote about the resting chimney sweep: ‘The chimney sweep is a synthesis of high art and folk art, Renaissance art and life on the street. ‘Rustende schoorsteenveger’ has a mysterious smile on his face, the same smile which made Leonardo da Vinci famous.’ (Bram Kempers, 1995, p. 78).
Besides the symbolism, Koch was very interested in another aspect of the artistic profession; the technique. The way he paints layer upon layer, the attention and patience he spent on material expression and details, the beautiful folds of the chimney sweep’s suit and the meticulous detailing of the plants and flowers in the garden, show Koch's great appreciation for the Old Masters.
‘Rustende Schoorsteenveger’ was last shown at an exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1972 and is now being offered for sale by the family of the first known owner.
Koch depicted the chimney sweep three times in total of which the present lot is the earliest. The other two are Staande Schoorsteenveger I from 1943 (Blotkamp no.36, on loan to museum Boymans-van Beuningen, Rotterdam) and Staande Schoorsteenveger II, from 1944 (Blotkamp no.38, Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague). The two later paintings show a standing chimney sweep next to a chimney, comparable to the Saint Sebastian of Renaissance artist Andrea Mantegna. The subject of the chimney sweep refers to sexuality, which can be concluded from ribald songs of that period.
The present lot shows a reclining chimney sweep in a closed garden with vegetation. The chimney sweep is dreaming between the nettles and has a mysterious smile on his face. He holds a little blue flower in his hand, which could indicate l’amour blue, a reference to homosexuality or represents a forget-me-not, a symbol of hope and love. Bram Kempers suggests (Blotkamp/Kempers 1995) that this flower was painted by Koch and then removed because of a too explicit reference to homosexuality. Koch has painted it back again at the request of the family of the present owners in the 1970’s. The fence around the garden is closed with an obvious lock, a possible reference to an unattainable secret love. Bram Kempers wrote about the resting chimney sweep: ‘The chimney sweep is a synthesis of high art and folk art, Renaissance art and life on the street. ‘Rustende schoorsteenveger’ has a mysterious smile on his face, the same smile which made Leonardo da Vinci famous.’ (Bram Kempers, 1995, p. 78).
Besides the symbolism, Koch was very interested in another aspect of the artistic profession; the technique. The way he paints layer upon layer, the attention and patience he spent on material expression and details, the beautiful folds of the chimney sweep’s suit and the meticulous detailing of the plants and flowers in the garden, show Koch's great appreciation for the Old Masters.
‘Rustende Schoorsteenveger’ was last shown at an exhibition at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam in 1972 and is now being offered for sale by the family of the first known owner.