A Dutch Baroque engraved mother-of-pearl, bone and hardstone inlaid slate panel by Dirck van Rijswijck (1596-1679), circa 1660/70

Ex-collection Sir Gregory Gregory at Harlaxton Manor, Grantham;

Ehlen Collection (Cologne-Bonn).

the Harlaxton Manor inventory of 1864 mentions four relevant van Rijswijck works, p. 31:

entry 13 67, A vase of flowers with insects by van Ryswick (sic) 10 1/4 inch by 7 in ebony frame;

entry 13 68, Another 8 in: by 5 1/2 (the most likely match as the part of the panel visible within the frame measures 20 x 13,5 cm!);

entry 13 69, Another 12 in: by 8;

entry 13 70, Another 11 in: by 8, see: https://harlaxtonmanorarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/harlaxton-1864-inventory-transcription-by-rooms.pdf;

Comparative literature:

D. Kisluk-Grosheide, 'Dirck van Rijswijck (1596-1679), a Master of Mother-of-Pearl', Oud Holland, III - 1997, pp. 77-152.

This mother-of-pearl panel is a splendid example of the impressive skill in marquetry demonstrated by Dirck van Rijswijck (1596-1679), and is an exciting new addition to his oeuvre as it has so far been documented. Aside from the entry in the Harlaxton Manor inventory of 1864, this panel has not been examined or included in surveys of van Rijswijck’s work, making this a newcomer that stands alongside similar panels at the Metropolitan Museum in New York (1986.21), the Victoria & Albert Museum in London (A.26-1928) and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam (BK-KOG-1539).

Dirck van Rijswijck

Born in Cleves in 1596, little is known about van Rijswijck’s early life, and he was possibly trained as a goldsmith in his native city. In 1620, he went to Antwerp and worked for the goldsmith, Denys van Zele (c. 1579-after 1630). In 1626, he was known to have remounted agate for rings for Isabelle Brant, wife of Peter Paul Rubens. In the late 1620s or early 1630s, he moved to Amsterdam, where he produced all of his known works and would remain until he died. His work was widely admired, and his workshop was even visited by Grand Duke Cosimo III of Tuscany in 1667, but he does not seem to have trained any apprentices and so this particular form of marquetry at this high level is only associated with van Rijswijck.

Mother-of-pearl is a typical material in goldsmiths’ work, so this may be what prompted van Rijswijck to create such distinctive still lifes that took such strong advantage of its expressive material. Van Rijswijck would have selected from assorted mother-of-pearl specimens imported from East Asia, choosing them based on their intrinsic differences in tone. Additional depth as well as surface details were created by etching lines into the mother-of-pearl surface using a burin, often in a cross-hatched pattern, and these then filled with a mixture of wax and charcoal to darken their colour and enhance contrast.

Provenance

Sir Gregory Gregory (1786–1854) was a Nottinghamshire businessman who made his fortune through coal mines and spent much of his life travelling and working in various British embassies in Europe. Between 1832 and 1854 Gregory built Harlaxton Manor, near Grantham (Lincolnshire). He employed two of the leading architects of Victorian England, Anthony Salvin and William Burn and consulted a third, Edward Blore, during its construction. Its architecture, which combines elements of Jacobean and Elizabethan styles with Baroque decoration, makes it unique among England's Jacobethan houses. Gregory Gregory and his descendants were also avid art collectors, the great quantity of objects was splendidly displayed in the luxurious setting of Harlaxton Manor.