Vista from a Grotto

early 1630s

David Teniers the Younger

Painter, Flemish, 1610 - 1690

David Teniers the Younger

Attributed to

The round, cavernous entryway of a craggy grotto that opens onto vivid blue water nearly fills this square landscape painting. Close to us, steep, tan-colored and earthy brown rocks rise like cliffs to each side. A wood cross set on a low rocky outcrop lists to one side in the lower left corner of the composition. A few tufts of grass or reedy plants are interspersed along the winding path of the turquoise-colored water inside the grotto, and more spindly plants grow up from or out of the rocky surfaces. The waterway zigzags between us and the body of water just beyond the opening. White highlights suggest white caps or surging waves. A band of opal-white mountains follow the curve of the grotto opening to angles up to the right. They nearly blend into the pearly white sky and the screen of clouds there. Black and white birds fly in the distance. One is near the water on the far side of the grotto opening, and one is higher and farther back. At least seven are tiny in the deep distance.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on panel

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 51.1 x 51.4 cm (20 1/8 x 20 1/4 in.)
    framed: 69.9 x 69.9 x 7 cm (27 1/2 x 27 1/2 x 2 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1971.56.1

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Ed. Philips, The Hague, by 1931.[1] Prof. Dr. J.E. Heuting, Wezenbeek Oppen, Belgium; acquired 11 October 1971 through (G. Cramer [Oude Kunst], The Hague)[2] by NGA.
[1] The painting was first published in Just Havelaar, De Nederlandsche Landschapskunst tot het einde der zeventiende eeuw, Amsterdam, 1931: 38, as in the collection of Ed. Philips, and a label originally on the back of the painting (now in NGA curatorial files) reads "Eigendom van Mr. Ed. Philips."
[2]See correspondence between Cramer and Heuting in Cramer Gallery records, Getty Research Institute, Boxes 104-106 (copies NGA curatorial files).

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1994

  • Les Tentations de Bosch ou l'Éternel Retour, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Lisbon, Portugal, 1994, no. 12, repro., as by De Momper the Younger.

1998

  • A Collector's Cabinet, National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1998, no. 40, as by De Momper the Younger.

2003

  • Montagna. Arte, scienza, mito da Dürer a Warhol, Museo di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Trento e Rovereto, Rovereto, 2003-2004, unnumbered catalogue, repro., as by De Momper the Youner.

Bibliography

1931

  • Havelaar, J. De Nederlandsche Landschapskunst tot het einde der Zeventiende Eeuw. Amsterdam, 1931: repro., as by De Momper.

1973

  • Stechow, Wolfgang. "An Early Landscape by David Teniers." Allen Memorial Art Museum Bulletin XXXI, no. 1 (1973-1974): 22, repro., as by De Momper.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 238, repro., as by De Momper.

1982

  • Klinge, Margret. Adriaen Brouwer, David Teniers the Younger. Exh. cat. Noortman and Brod, New York and Maastricht. Bradford and London, 1982: 22.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 295, no. 388, color repro., as by De Momper.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 276, repro., as by De Momper.

1986

  • Ertz, Klaus. Josse de Momper der Jüngere (1564-1635): Die Gemälde mit Kritischem Oeuvrekatalog. Freren, 1986: 410, no. 518, repro., 653-654, cat. A 213.

1991

  • Klinge, Margret. David Teniers the Younger: Paintings, Drawings Exh. cat. Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten. Antwerp, 1991: 19-20, repro.

1997

  • Gifford, Melanie E. "Style and Technique in the Evolution of Naturalism: North Netherlandish Landscape Painting in the Early Seventeenth Century." Ph.D. dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, 1997: 85-87, 307, repro., as by De Momper or Teniers.

2005

  • Wheelock, Arthur K., Jr. Flemish Paintings of the Seventeenth Century. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 2005: 232-236, color repro.

Wikidata ID

Q20177115

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