Adam Camerarius

Anonymous sale, Amsterdam, Christie's, 5 November 2003, lot 14 (as by School of Rembrandt).

The actual painting is warmer and less red in tone than the catalogue illustration suggests. The canvas has a rather firm relining, which has somewhat flattened the paint surface. Stretcher marks are slightly visible along the upper and left edges, but otherwise the paint surface seems to be in good condition. Some older retouched paint losses can be observed along the lower edge, and in the background centre and upper left. The paint surface is somewhat abraded, mainly in the darker areas of the composition. A few tiny retouchings can be observed around the figure's eye and in his costume lower right. The paint surface is covered with a thick and glossy layer of varnish. Inspection under ultra violet confirms the aforementioned retouchings, and reveals a few additional tiny retouchings in the figures collar, in his hat, and along the upper edge. Offered in a plain ebonised wood frame, in good condition. (MW)
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Little is known about the life of Adam Camerarius who was born in Groningen.¹ His earlier works show the influence of Lambert Jacobsz. (ca. 1598-1636) who set up shop in Leeuwarden and was the teacher of Jacob Backer (1608-1651) and Govert Flinck (1615-1660), who both left for Amsterdam around 1633. Together they formed the artistic circle Camerarius joined when he started to produce paintings in the early 1640s. At present about 33 paintings are attributed to Camerarius.² His oeuvre shows an emphasis on figure painting, most notably portraiture and three-quarter length representations of figures. His first dated work is from 1644 in which the influence of Backer is evident. Camerarius' style stands apart from other Backer students and followers in its original colouring and free, almost abstract, rendition of textures.

The present work is an example of Camerarius' dependence on Backer on the one hand and the artist's own artistic vision on the other. This tronie relates to Backer in the rendition of the fleshtones and the exuberant colouring, reminiscent of Flemish painters such as Jacob Jordaens. Backer's influence is also revealed in the way in which the leather gloves are painted, with the flattened fingertops and their yellow highlights being a feature Backer applied in his portraits.³ However, the exceptionally fluid manner in which the white collar and golden embellishments are painted results in a decorative treatment of the subject not found in Backer's work nor any other artist in his artistic milieu (see for example Camerarius' Portrait of a Man as Apollo, Musée des Beaux Arts, Reims, inv.no. 991.32 and his Apollo in W. Sumowski, Gemälde der Rembrandt-Schüler, vol. VI, Landau/Pfalz 1983, no. 2217, reproduced plate 3802). This decorative focus results in a slight negligence in the realistic depiction of forms and volumes as demonstrated in the folding of the red drapery. This aspect is typical of Camerarius' style, and the delight he took in painting the white collar is still very much visible.

We are grateful to Prof. Dr. Werner Sumowski for endorsing the attribution to Adam Camerarius in a letter dated 28 February 2008, on the basis of photographs.

1. See R. Schillemans and E. Knol, Adam Camerarius. Een Groningse schilder uit de 17de eeuw, exhibition brochure, Groningen 2004. 
2. op. cit., p. 28-9; see also W. Sumowski, Gemälde der Rembrandt-Schüler, vol. VI, Landau/Pfalz 1983-1994, nos. 2216-2229.
3. Verbal communication with Peter van den Brink (February 2008), who is preparing an exhibition and monograph on Jacob Backer.