Pieter Jansz. Saenredam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pieter Jansz. Saenredam
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Pieter Saenredam in 1628 by Jacob van Campen
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| Born | 9 June 1597 Assendelft
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| Died | 31 May 1665 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | Dutch |
| Parent(s) | Jan Pietersz Saenredam |
Pieter Jansz. Saenredam (born June 9, 1597 – died May 31, 1665) was a famous painter from the Dutch Golden Age. He was known for his unique paintings of church interiors. These churches often had plain, white walls, like the Interior of St Bavo's Church in Haarlem (1636) and the Interior of the Sint-Odulphuskerk in Assendelft.
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About Pieter Saenredam
Pieter Saenredam was born in Assendelft, a town in the Netherlands. His father, Jan Pietersz Saenredam, was also an artist. Jan was a printmaker and drew many pictures, but his art was very different from Pieter's.
In 1612, Pieter moved to Haarlem and became a student of Frans de Grebber, another painter. By 1623, he joined the Haarlem Guild of St. Luke, which was a group for artists. A drawing by his friend Jacob van Campen shows that Pieter was quite short. He lived and died in Haarlem.
Pieter Saenredam lived at the same time as other famous painter-architects. These included Jacob van Campen, Salomon de Bray, and Pieter Post.
Saenredam's Art Style
Saenredam was special because he mostly painted the inside of churches. He didn't just imagine these places. He would visit the actual buildings and take very careful measurements. He also made detailed sketches using pencil, pen, and chalk. Sometimes, he would add light washes of color to his sketches.
He would then take these studies back to his studio. It could be years later before he turned them into finished paintings.
How Saenredam Painted Churches
Saenredam's paintings show churches with soft, even light and clear shapes. You can see this if you compare his work to Emanuel de Witte, another painter. De Witte often included people and more church items in his paintings. He also used strong contrasts of light and shadow.
Saenredam, however, usually focused on the main lines of the church. He often left out people and extra furniture.
Churches After the Reformation
Many of the churches Saenredam painted were old medieval buildings. These were often Gothic or Romanesque in style. After the Protestant Reformation, many of these churches were changed. They were stripped of their old decorations, like statues and colorful altarpieces. The walls and ceilings were often painted white. This was part of a movement called iconoclasm.
For example, Saenredam's drawing of the Interior of St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht shows this change. This church used to be Catholic and was very decorated. But after the Dutch Revolt, it became Protestant. It was "cleaned" of Catholic influences, and its walls were whitewashed.
Art and Architecture Ideas
Some people think Saenredam's church paintings were not just about religion. They believe the paintings also showed a new interest in perspective. Perspective is a way of drawing that makes things look three-dimensional and realistic.
His work also showed the Dutch way of understanding Palladio's ideas. Palladio was an architect who believed in balance and symmetry in buildings. Saenredam wanted to record the changes happening in his country. He wanted to show the buildings as they really were.
Many artists before him painted imaginary buildings. But Saenredam was one of the first to focus on real, existing structures. The J. Paul Getty Trust says that his church paintings mix facts with a bit of imagination. He made very detailed drawings on site, like an archaeologist. This careful work helped him create his beautiful and accurate paintings. His measurements helped him use scientific linear perspective, just like the artist Andrea Pozzo. This made his images look very real and deep.
Where to See Saenredam's Art
You can find some of Saenredam's works in British art collections. The Utrecht Archives in the Netherlands has many of his drawings. In 2000–2001, the Centraal Museum in Utrecht held a big show of his drawings and paintings.
Perhaps his most famous works are two oil paintings that look alike. Both are called Interior of the Buurkerk, Utrecht. One is in the National Gallery in London. The other is in the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas. Their simple style and clear shapes remind some people of more modern artists like Mondrian and Feininger.
Images for kids
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Pieter Saenredam in 1628 by Jacob van Campen
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Interior of the Sint-Odulphuskerk in Assendelft (1649), oil on panel, with the gravestone of Saenredam's father in the foreground
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Interior of St. Martin's Cathedral, Utrecht (1636), drawing on paper
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View of the Markt in Haarlem (1629), including the Hoofwacht on the left. Pen and brush on paper.
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Interior of the Church of St Bavo in Haarlem (1648), oil on panel. The work is typical of Saenredam's perspective paintings of whitewashed church interiors.
See also
In Spanish: Pieter Jansz Saenredam para niños
