Cornelis Pronk was the son of a Mennonite corn merchant. Encouraged by the merchant and connoisseur Lambert ten Kate Harmensz. (1674-1731) Pronk had an apprenticeship to both Jan van Houten (1679-1713) and Arnold Boonen (1669-1729). Pronk's artistic development and draughtsmanship would make him one of the most celebrated topographical artists of the 18th century. For this development the friendship between the artist and one of his pupils, Abraham de Haen (1707-1748) was of significant importance, as master and pupil made numerous travels together, drawing together often the same topographical views, castles, mansions, town houses and countrey seats. Pronk and de Haen were probably introduced to each other by Claas Bruin (1671-1731) who was a close friend of Andres Schoemaker (1660-1735) and worked for Christoffel Beudeker (1676-1756). The artist Jan Goeree (1670-1731) and bookseller Marten Schagen (1700-1770) may have initiated the contact as well.[1]
Together with the textile merchant Andries Schoemaker (1660-1735) Pronk and de Haen travelled through the Dutch Republic between 1727 and 1734, making numerous accurate topographical drawings for the collection of Schoemaker. The latter who would compose the famous Atlas Schoemaker, supported by his son Gerrit who also contributed to the Atlas. Aside of de Haen, Pronk counted Jan de Beijer, (1703-1780) Jacobus Buys (1724-1801), Paulus van Linder (1731-1797) and Hendrik de Winter (1717-1790) among his pupils. All of them would follow their master and become topographical draughtsman. Pronk also received commissions of the VOC for designing china. The Amsterdam publisher Isaac Tirion (1705-1765) commissioned Pronk for the Verheerlykt Nederland of Kabinet van hedendaagsche gezigten.
The present drawing by Pronk is a splendid sundrenched view on Huis te Spijk, the former castle Huis te Lane and country estate located on the Hofgeesterweg 9 near the hamlet of Hofgeest, Velserbroek in the Dutch municipality of Velsen. The country seat was demolished in 1834 and nowadays the only remnants of this country seat are the two stone fence pillars which recently have been reconstructed. The remnants have been a national monument since 17 October 1973.
Huis te Spijk finds it's origins around 1230, by then under the name of Hofstede Endelgeest. Jan Raet was it's first owner in 1553. In the seventeenth century Agnes Hulft (-1693) acquired the country seat. She had a new access road constructed that ran in a straight line to the mansion which created a visual axis on which she planted alder trees on both sides. Hulft sold the country seat to Jan van de Poll (1666-1735) who was a member of the Van de Poll regency family. Jan van de Poll was mayor of Amsterdam for six tenures between 1718 and 1735.
Pronk drew several versions of Huis te Spijk, of which one is preserved at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.[2]
[1] A.W. Gerlagh et. al., Pronk met pen en penseel. Cornelis Pronk (1691-1759) tekent Noord-Holland.
De Bataafsche Leeuw, Amsterdam, 1997.
[2] Cornelis Pronk, Het Huis te Spijk bij Velsen.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, inv. no. RP-T-1905-29
