Petrus Gerardus Vertin - Busy Street in a Sunlit Dutch Town

Attributed to Petrus Gerardus Vertin (1819-1893)

Busy Street in a Sunlit Dutch Town

oil on wood panel 
unframed 27 x 23 cm 
framed 39.5 x 35 cm 

Provenance: 
A Swedish private collection.

Essay: 
This painting, attributed to the Dutch artist Petrus Gerardus Vertin (1819-1893), is a quintessential example of his work, though it is unsigned. The scene is a bustling street in a Dutch town, depicted in broad daylight with people engaged in their daily tasks. On the right, there is a stall where food is being prepared in a steaming pot, and across the street, a woman sells vegetables. The street is lined with brick houses on both sides, laundry is hanging out to dry, and some windows display flowers in full bloom, adding vibrant splashes of color to the scene. The atmosphere is light and airy, with a blue sky scattered with clouds, and a church is visible in the background, suggesting the setting could be a product of Vertin's imagination.

Petrus Gerardus Vertin was a prominent 19th-century Dutch painter and graphic artist known for his detailed townscapes and street views. His works can be found in several Dutch museums, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, and the Centraal Museum in Utrecht. Vertin was a student of the renowned veduta painter Bartholomeus Johannes van Hove and opted for lithography and etching in his graphic works. His paintings often feature aligned house facades along streets or canals, a significant building such as a church in the background, and an atmospheric sky with moving clouds. These elements are all present in this work, along with the small figures that add a narrative character to the painting. Vertin's art captures various times of the year and different weather conditions, bringing the daily life of Dutch towns in the 19th century to the viewer with a vivid sense of realism and charm.