DOI issue:
Nr.1-2
DOI article:Brusewicz, Lech; Nason, Pieter [Ill.]: The paintings by Pieter Nason in polish collections
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18863#0023
The most typical attribute for a Dutch bourgeois used to be a pocket watch symbolizing
a morał and regular way of Hfe, as well as moderation in the enjoyment of the pleasures of it87.
Sometimes the iconographic programme was more complicated as in the Portrait of Gabriel
Marselis, fig. 9)88.
The style of the ląst period of Nason's art can hardly be defined mostly because of the limited
number of works which have been preserved. That was UDdoubtedly the least creative period
of his activity. The artist continued the old composition motives and old masterly techniąue
but at the same time he frequently and uncritically imitated the fashionable concepts of C. Ne-
tscher or N. Maes. The old master withdrawing from the stage had already lost the vividness
and splendour of colour which made his earlier works so avidly sought after.
To end this sketch on the life and work of Pieter Nason, one should mention his still life pain-
tings. He was one of the fifty-six painters of the still life in the 17th century Hague89. He began
to practise the still life in Amsterdam and continued this practice in the Hague. At the lottery
organized by the Hague painter Johan de Bont in 1649 there was displayed an unknown now
Still Life with Fruit by Nason90. We can only guess that it was painted in style of Pieter Claesz
such as Nason's Still Life with Fruit and a Coalmouse91 painted at the same time.
Basing on the Still Life — the so called Bankelje — foundin Berlin92 (fig. 10) it became common
to consider Willem C. Heda's influence on Nason93. Some research workers, though, pointed
rather to Willem Kalf91. This painting in fact reveals the influence of both these masters the
earlier and well-known to him, that of Heda, and the more fashionable and more impressive,
that of Kalf. The later Stilleven by Nason refer to the achievements of other painters, mainly
Akłaham van Beyeren95, and Jan de Heem. His only self dated Still Lift with a Crab of 167798
forms an excellent example of Jan de Heem influence, whose style was popularized in the Hague
by Cornelis de Heem, active there in the years 1676—8197.
AU the known stilleven by Nason — unfortunately only 11 in number, the ascribed ones in-
cluded — possess many individual features, typical of this painter's art. First of all, his tech-
Dique and his fondness for the materiał in a superb way helped to imitate the real. The specific
for Nason way of seeing can be defined as "differentiating", it was charaeteristic both for Na-
son-portraitist and the stilllife painter.
4
The National Museum in Warsaw has in its collection The Portrait of a Man (fig. 11) perhaps
the most interesting of Pieter Nason's works. Many a time it aroused the interest of art
87. Guy de Tervarent, Attributs et symboles dans l'art profane 1450—1600, Geneve, 1958, p. 220; also Lexikon der christlichen
Ikonographie, 1968, III, p. 407.
88. J.M. Reinboud— "Nederlandse portretten in Denemarken", De Navorscher, 1960, p. 125—incorrectly interpreted
MarsehVs portrait as a commemoration of the nobilitation of this Danishtra de representative in the United Pro-
vinces and awarding him with the Order of the Elephant. The interpretation is contradicted by the date of the picture
having been painted in 1669 — four years after the aformentioned event, but at the time of the 60th birthday! — lack
of the Order of the Elephant in the portrait, as well as a symbolism of the gesture of the portrayed man's hand and
that of accompanying acoessories. The picture should rather be understood as a declaration of fidelity of the Danish
Kings representative in Holland. It is possible that Marselis is suggesting through this picture to his "senior" that it
is necessary to find a man equally devoted to Danish affairs to succeed him in the position.
89. A.P. Vorenkamp, Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van het Hollandach stilleven in de zcventiende eeuw, Leiden, 1933, p. 46.
90. F. Obreen, op. cii., V, p. 83.
91. A picture from the J.J.A. Rodbard Apeldoorni collection; photo: RKD.
92. This is Nason's best known stil life, along with the one, found in the collection of the Royal Museum in Copenhagen;
see: W. Warner, Dutch and Flemish Fruit and Flower Painters of the 17th and 18th cenluries, London, 1928.
93. See: E. Żarnowska, op. cit., p. XV, W. Bcrnt, op. cii., p. 579, W. Martin, op. cit., p. 411.
94. Knaurs Lexicon Aller Malerei, Muuchen-Ziirich, 1958, p. 221.
95. A. van Beyeren is indicated by P. Gammelbo in Dutch Still-Life Painting from 16th to the ISth cenluries in Danish Col-
lections, Copenhagen, 1960, p. 84.
96. See: photo — RKD.
97. R. van Luttervelt Schilders van het stilleven, Naarden, 1947, p. 52.
17
i
a morał and regular way of Hfe, as well as moderation in the enjoyment of the pleasures of it87.
Sometimes the iconographic programme was more complicated as in the Portrait of Gabriel
Marselis, fig. 9)88.
The style of the ląst period of Nason's art can hardly be defined mostly because of the limited
number of works which have been preserved. That was UDdoubtedly the least creative period
of his activity. The artist continued the old composition motives and old masterly techniąue
but at the same time he frequently and uncritically imitated the fashionable concepts of C. Ne-
tscher or N. Maes. The old master withdrawing from the stage had already lost the vividness
and splendour of colour which made his earlier works so avidly sought after.
To end this sketch on the life and work of Pieter Nason, one should mention his still life pain-
tings. He was one of the fifty-six painters of the still life in the 17th century Hague89. He began
to practise the still life in Amsterdam and continued this practice in the Hague. At the lottery
organized by the Hague painter Johan de Bont in 1649 there was displayed an unknown now
Still Life with Fruit by Nason90. We can only guess that it was painted in style of Pieter Claesz
such as Nason's Still Life with Fruit and a Coalmouse91 painted at the same time.
Basing on the Still Life — the so called Bankelje — foundin Berlin92 (fig. 10) it became common
to consider Willem C. Heda's influence on Nason93. Some research workers, though, pointed
rather to Willem Kalf91. This painting in fact reveals the influence of both these masters the
earlier and well-known to him, that of Heda, and the more fashionable and more impressive,
that of Kalf. The later Stilleven by Nason refer to the achievements of other painters, mainly
Akłaham van Beyeren95, and Jan de Heem. His only self dated Still Lift with a Crab of 167798
forms an excellent example of Jan de Heem influence, whose style was popularized in the Hague
by Cornelis de Heem, active there in the years 1676—8197.
AU the known stilleven by Nason — unfortunately only 11 in number, the ascribed ones in-
cluded — possess many individual features, typical of this painter's art. First of all, his tech-
Dique and his fondness for the materiał in a superb way helped to imitate the real. The specific
for Nason way of seeing can be defined as "differentiating", it was charaeteristic both for Na-
son-portraitist and the stilllife painter.
4
The National Museum in Warsaw has in its collection The Portrait of a Man (fig. 11) perhaps
the most interesting of Pieter Nason's works. Many a time it aroused the interest of art
87. Guy de Tervarent, Attributs et symboles dans l'art profane 1450—1600, Geneve, 1958, p. 220; also Lexikon der christlichen
Ikonographie, 1968, III, p. 407.
88. J.M. Reinboud— "Nederlandse portretten in Denemarken", De Navorscher, 1960, p. 125—incorrectly interpreted
MarsehVs portrait as a commemoration of the nobilitation of this Danishtra de representative in the United Pro-
vinces and awarding him with the Order of the Elephant. The interpretation is contradicted by the date of the picture
having been painted in 1669 — four years after the aformentioned event, but at the time of the 60th birthday! — lack
of the Order of the Elephant in the portrait, as well as a symbolism of the gesture of the portrayed man's hand and
that of accompanying acoessories. The picture should rather be understood as a declaration of fidelity of the Danish
Kings representative in Holland. It is possible that Marselis is suggesting through this picture to his "senior" that it
is necessary to find a man equally devoted to Danish affairs to succeed him in the position.
89. A.P. Vorenkamp, Bijdrage tot de geschiedenis van het Hollandach stilleven in de zcventiende eeuw, Leiden, 1933, p. 46.
90. F. Obreen, op. cii., V, p. 83.
91. A picture from the J.J.A. Rodbard Apeldoorni collection; photo: RKD.
92. This is Nason's best known stil life, along with the one, found in the collection of the Royal Museum in Copenhagen;
see: W. Warner, Dutch and Flemish Fruit and Flower Painters of the 17th and 18th cenluries, London, 1928.
93. See: E. Żarnowska, op. cit., p. XV, W. Bcrnt, op. cii., p. 579, W. Martin, op. cit., p. 411.
94. Knaurs Lexicon Aller Malerei, Muuchen-Ziirich, 1958, p. 221.
95. A. van Beyeren is indicated by P. Gammelbo in Dutch Still-Life Painting from 16th to the ISth cenluries in Danish Col-
lections, Copenhagen, 1960, p. 84.
96. See: photo — RKD.
97. R. van Luttervelt Schilders van het stilleven, Naarden, 1947, p. 52.
17
i