Just like his younger brother Jacob (1756-1815), Abraham van Strij received his very first artistic training from their father Leendert van Strij, followed by an apprenticeship to Joris Ponse (1723-1783) and training at the Academy of Painting, Antwerp. Trained as a painter of wallpapers, Abraham became famous for his portraits and landscapes and especially his paintings of interiors. Abraham was a member of the Dordrecht Guild of St. Luke, of which he would become the director later on. Abraham and Jacob took over their father's workshop and studio where they had many pupils among who were Pieter Rudolph Kleijn (1785-1816), Johannes van Lexmond (1769-1838), Jacob de Meijer (1798-1884), Johannes Rutten (1809-1884), Johannes Schoenmaker (1755-1842), Johannes Christiaan Schotel (1787-1838), Gillis Smak Gregoor (1770-1843) and of course Abraham's son Abraham van Strij II (1790-1840).
This year, Drawing Society Pictura, of which Abraham van Strij was one of the founding members in 1774, celebrates it's 250th Anniversary. His younger brother Jacob was an active member also. At this drawing society members would gather twice or three times a week to draw after prints and drawings, sculptures and mostly after living and clothed models. At the Drawing Society Pictura also Kunstbeschouwingen (Art lectures) were organised by and for it's members.[1]
The present drawing which is a new addition to Abraham's oeuvre was recently discovered and is a typical example of a Pictura-standje drawing (the names given to drawings made during the sessions at Drawing Society Pictura were called Pictura-standjes referring to the positions in which the models were posing).[2]
With both hands clasped and his thoughtful look focused on a distant point aloft, the model appears to have been instructed to depict a pious pose. The gentleman in our drawing is the same model as depicted in the drawing documented at the RKD from Abraham's Workshop Estate.[3]
A warm thanks to Charles Dumas for confirming the authorship for Abraham van Strij.[4]
[1] R.J. te Rijdt, Nederlandse figuurstudies 1700-1850.
Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 1994, p. 13-15.
[2] F. de Graaf, J.M. de Groot, C. Dumas et.al., In helder licht; Abraham en Jacob van Strij; Hollandse meesters van het landschap en interieur omstreeks 1800.
Dordechts Museum, Waanders Zwolle, 2000.
[3] Abraham van Strij, Man in an interior.
Black chalk, brush and grey ink, watercolour, 170 x 149 mm.
Part of the Workshop Estate of Abraham van Strij/Private-collection D.K. van Strij.
[4] Correspondence by e-mail, 31 May 2023.
