Notes for Constantijn Daniel van Renesse

Van Ren(n)es(se) Genealogy

Notes for Constantijn Daniel van Renesse

Stadssecrataris en griffier van Eindhoven 1653-1680 zie op http://www.veritus.com/chrono/

The Fall of Man, circa 1650
pen and brown ink, brown and gray washes and opaque watercolor over red and black chalk on laid paper
21 x 15.8 cm
Stichting Constant van Renesse/Frans van Walsem Fonds

OMSCHRIJVING
De Stichting stelt zich ten doel de zelfontplooiing van jonge mensen te bevorderen. Zij verleent steun aan
minder draagkrachtige personen die werkzaam zijn op cultureel of sociaal-cultureel terrein in de
regio Eindhoven. In het bijzonder komen kunstenaars in aanmerking die geen beroep kunnen doen op de
bestaande subsidieregelingen van rijk, provincie of gemeente voor de uitvoering van een project.
Onder een project kan bijvoorbeeld worden verstaan: het verbouwen van een atelier, de uitgave van een
catalogus of een studiereis.
Daarnaast ondersteunt de Stichting culturele activiteiten die gericht zijn op de doelgroep.

DOELGROEP
Een bijdrage is beschikbaar voor:
- non-profitinstellingen;
- individuën:

REGIO
Activiteiten moeten plaatsvinden in de regio Eindhoven.

BIJDRAGE
Steunverlening vindt plaats tot maximaal f.7.500.

AANVRAAG
Het aanvraagadres is:
Stadhuisplein 6
Postbus 2358
5600 CJ Eindhoven
De aanvraag moet schriftelijk worden ingediend. Op de aanvragen wordt ongeveer 3 keer per jaar een
beslissing genomen. De gehele aanvraagprocedure duurt in het algemeen 3 tot vier weken.

AANVULLENDE INFORMATIE
De Stichting bestuurt ook het Frans van Walsem Fonds, waarvan de doelstelling is gelijkgesteld aan die
van de Stichting Constant van Renesse Fonds.
Constantijn Daniel van Renesse Maarssen 1626 - 1680 Eindhoven

Portrait of a young Jew
Signed
Oil on panel 22 x 17,7 cm

The Fall of Man, circa 1650
pen and brown ink 21 x 15,8 cm
brown and gray washes and opaque watercolor
over red and black chalk on laid paper

Literature:
A. Bredius, "Over een Rembrandt", Oud Holland, 1931, XLVIII, no. 3, pp. 97-99,
illustrated fig. 3 (where attributed to Rembrandt and as superior to the versions at
Kassel and the Louvre)

Constantijn van Renesse was born in Maarssen, where his father,
Lodewijk, was a respected theologian and minister. Lodewijk
became a military chaplain to Frederik Hendrik of Orange Nassau
and the family moved to Breda in 1638. The following year,
Constantijn began his studies at the University of Leiden. He first
read literature and later on (in 1642) mathematics. In spite of his
university career, Constantijn seems to have been intent on
becoming an artist, as he was already producing paintings and
drawings during this period. By 1649, Van Renesse had entered
the studio of Rembrandt. A drawing of Daniel in the Lions' Den
(Rotterdam, Museum Boymans-van Beuningen) is signed and
dated 1652, with an inscription on the verso which translates as:
'The first drawing shown to Rembrandt in the year 1649 on 1st
October'. Further evidence of Rembrandt's instruction can be seen
in the many drawings by Van Renesse which bear the master's
corrections.
Indeed Van Renesse's œuvre has survived mainly in the form of
drawings and etchings. Only a small number of paintings by him
are known. These works include a Family Concert Party (1651,
Residenzgalerie, Salzburg) in which he portrays himself and other
members of his family. The National Museum in Warsaw owns a
Satyr with Peasants dated 1653 and a Dismissal of Hagar
(attributed to him), and there is an undated Kermis in the Corcoran
Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The large painting in the Louvre,
The Good Samaritan, formerly
attributed to Rembrandt, has recently been ascribed to Van
Renesse, based on comparison with the Corcoran picture. The
limited nature of Van Renesse's output may partly be explained by
the fact that his duties as the town clerk of Eindhoven (an office
conferred upon him in 1653 and which he held until his death) took
up too much of his time. Of course, another explanation may be
that many of his paintings have been wrongly attributed to
Rembrandt or to other pupils of Rembrandt.
It is particularly exciting, therefore, to be able to add the present
work to the other known paintings. The attribution to Van Renesse
has been made by Dr. Egbert Haverkamp-Begemann who calls the
painting 'a sophisticated and beautiful small "tronie".' He compares
the colour and brushwork in our painting with that found in the Satyr
with Peasants (mentioned above) and also with the Louvre Good
Samaritan. This supposition was further confirmed when, after
cleaning, the remains of a signature were found. Under infra-red
light the capital letter 'R' can clearly be seen, followed by space for
more letters and Dr. Haverkamp-Begemann believes that the 'R' was
the beginning of 'Renesse'.

This painting reveals how thoroughly Constantijn van Renesse had
absorbed his master's teachings; he successfully employs bravura
brushwork, a brown tonality and strong chiaroscuro, to convey deep
psychological insight.