The self-taught artist Abraham Rademaker showed great talent already at young age. He was the son of a glazier, Frederik Rademaker who gave his son free way to explore his talents.
Rademaker follows well in the line of generations of topographical draughtsmen, initiated by artists like Claes Jansz. Visscher and Reinier Nooms. Draughtsmen who followed in Rademaker’s footsteps were the 18th century artists Cornelis Pronk, Jan de Beijer and Paulus van Liender. In 1732 Abraham joined the St. Luke Guild of Haarlem.[1][2]
Famous for his accuracy, the book "Cabinet der Nederlandsche Oudheeden en gesigten vervat in drie hondert konst plaaten te koop bij Willem Baretnz" counting three hunderd engravings by Rademaker was issued in 1724 by the editor Willem Barentz. with trilingual text.
Only a very small part of his drawn oeuvre consists of painstakingly finished gouaches of very high quality, of which the present pendant set of arcadian landscapes is a splendidly preserved example. This group, which counts about twenty drawings, were "painted" with very thick bodycolour. Van Gool wrote about this small group which Rademaker "zo natuurlijk en krachtig (wist) op te maken, of ze met Oliverf geschildert waren" (so natural and expressive of composition, as if they were executed in oil paint). These sheets with subjects of city views, hilly (river) landscapes, castles and italianate capriccio's were highly appreciated and fetched high prices during Abraham's lifetime.[3]
In these two arcadian landscapes, composed of architectural elements who are not compatible with life, Abraham shows his draughtsmanship on the absolute peak of his skills. Both gouaches show a rich staffage as well, which is scarce in Rademaker's oeuvre.
Abraham died in 1735. On his death, Taco Hajo Jelgersma made a drawing "ad cadavrum" after which Cornelis van Noorde engraved Abraham's portrait.
Few drawings of comparable quality have shown up on the market in 1998.[4][5]
[1] C.J. Kaldenbach, 'Abraham Rademaker (1676/77-1735); nieuwe biografische gegevens en een verkenning van zijn getekende werk', Leids Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 4 (1985), p. 165-178.
[2] Charles Dumas and Willem Beelaerts van Blokland, De kasteeltekeningen van Abraham Rademaker. Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle, 2006.
[3] Jan van Gool, De nieuwe schouburg der Nederlantsche Kunstschilders en schilderessen... Den Haag, 1750.
[4] Abraham Rademaker, A capriccio view of a rugged italianate river valley, with fishermen hauling in their nets to the left, and travellers to the right. Gouache, arabic gum, 215 x 365 mm. Lot 58, Sotheby’s Amsterdam, 10 November 1998.
[5] Abraham Rademaker, A mountainous landscape with a village near a lake, moored boats, and a church on a rocky outcrop to the left. Gouache, arabic gum, 217 x 365 mm.
Lot 59, Sotheby’s Amsterdam, 10 November 1998.
