Abraham van der Doort
Encyclopedia
Abraham van der Doort was a Dutch
artist. As Keeper of Charles I
's art collections, he was the first Surveyor of the King's Pictures.
Van der Doort's careworn face is familiar from a portrait and engravings held by the National Portrait Gallery in London
, but little is known of his early life: indeed, his date of birth is not known with any certainty. He was probably the son of Peter van Do[o]rt, an engraver of Dutch descent who was working in Hamburg
in the early years of the 17th century, a member of a family of Dutch craftsmen that also specialised in the design and manufacture of coins and medals. Abraham van der Doort probably came to England
around 1609, a few years after James I
became King of England. Van der Doort came into the service of Charles' elder brother, Prince Henry. After Henry's early death in 1612, his collection of paintings, medals, coins and other objets d'art was inherited by Charles, and van der Doort accompanied the collection into Charles' service. After Charles succeeded his father as king in 1625, van der Doort became Charles' Groom of the Chamber
, Surveyor of the King's Pictures; he designed new coins for the Royal Mint
.
About 1639, van der Doort compiled a manuscript catalogue of the art collection of the King, described by Ellis Waterhouse
as "the fullest catalogues of their day in Europe." The catalogue survives in a complete manuscript that was preserved by Elias Ashmole
and is now held by the Bodleian Library
, and in three fair copies of sections, all covered with van der Doort's annotations in a tight crabbed hand. Under van der Doort's care, and with the guidance of painter-dealers, painter-ambassadors and the best eyes among the English virtuosi
, Charles had assembled what Oliver Millar
, in editing a modern edition of catalogue, reckoned was the best single English collection of paintings ever made. George Vertue
's notes on the former Royal Collection were published in 1757, which is the reason that, following its long series of the Vertue notebooks, a collated edition of the four manuscript catalogues was published by the Walpole Society
as its Volume 37 (1958-60); it was edited by Millar, who later followed van der Doort as Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. Millar provides the best biography of van der Doort, and details of the provenance
of the pictures, many of which had come from the Gonzaga
inheritance in Mantua
, with a commentary on their later history and their attributions.
Van der Doort committed suicide in the summer of 1640, distraught that he may have misplaced one of his master's miniatures
. Charles' collection was broken up and sold by auction in 1649, after Charles had been executed.
Van der Doort never lost the Dutch accent that is preserved in his copious annotations to the catalogues in his entirely phonetic spelling.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
artist. As Keeper of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's art collections, he was the first Surveyor of the King's Pictures.
Van der Doort's careworn face is familiar from a portrait and engravings held by the National Portrait Gallery in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, but little is known of his early life: indeed, his date of birth is not known with any certainty. He was probably the son of Peter van Do[o]rt, an engraver of Dutch descent who was working in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
in the early years of the 17th century, a member of a family of Dutch craftsmen that also specialised in the design and manufacture of coins and medals. Abraham van der Doort probably came to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
around 1609, a few years after James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
became King of England. Van der Doort came into the service of Charles' elder brother, Prince Henry. After Henry's early death in 1612, his collection of paintings, medals, coins and other objets d'art was inherited by Charles, and van der Doort accompanied the collection into Charles' service. After Charles succeeded his father as king in 1625, van der Doort became Charles' Groom of the Chamber
Groom of the Chamber
Groom of the Chamber and Groom of the Privy Chamber were positions in the Royal Household of the English monarchy, the latter considerably more elevated. Other Ancien Régime royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles...
, Surveyor of the King's Pictures; he designed new coins for the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
.
About 1639, van der Doort compiled a manuscript catalogue of the art collection of the King, described by Ellis Waterhouse
Ellis Waterhouse
Sir Ellis Kirkham Waterhouse was an English art historian specialized in Roman baroque and English painting...
as "the fullest catalogues of their day in Europe." The catalogue survives in a complete manuscript that was preserved by Elias Ashmole
Elias Ashmole
Elias Ashmole was a celebrated English antiquary, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and student of alchemy. Ashmole supported the royalist side during the English Civil War, and at the restoration of Charles II he was rewarded with several lucrative offices.Ashmole was an antiquary with a...
and is now held by the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, and in three fair copies of sections, all covered with van der Doort's annotations in a tight crabbed hand. Under van der Doort's care, and with the guidance of painter-dealers, painter-ambassadors and the best eyes among the English virtuosi
Virtuoso
A virtuoso is an individual who possesses outstanding technical ability in the fine arts, at singing or playing a musical instrument. The plural form is either virtuosi or the Anglicisation, virtuosos, and the feminine form sometimes used is virtuosa...
, Charles had assembled what Oliver Millar
Oliver Millar
Sir Oliver Nicholas Millar, GCVO, FSA, FBA, was a British art historian. He was an expert on 17th century British painting, and a leading authority on Anthony van Dyck in particular. He served in the Royal Household for 41 years from 1947, becoming Surveyor of The Queen's Pictures in 1972. He...
, in editing a modern edition of catalogue, reckoned was the best single English collection of paintings ever made. George Vertue
George Vertue
George Vertue was an English engraver and antiquary, whose notebooks on British art of the first half of the 18th century are a valuable source for the period.-Life:...
's notes on the former Royal Collection were published in 1757, which is the reason that, following its long series of the Vertue notebooks, a collated edition of the four manuscript catalogues was published by the Walpole Society
Walpole Society
The Walpole Society, named after Horace Walpole, was formed in 1911 to promote the study of the history of British art.From 1762 on, Walpole had published the first history of art in Britain, based on the manuscript notebooks of George Vertue, the most important source of information concerning...
as its Volume 37 (1958-60); it was edited by Millar, who later followed van der Doort as Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures. Millar provides the best biography of van der Doort, and details of the provenance
Provenance
Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
of the pictures, many of which had come from the Gonzaga
House of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
inheritance in Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
, with a commentary on their later history and their attributions.
Van der Doort committed suicide in the summer of 1640, distraught that he may have misplaced one of his master's miniatures
Portrait miniature
A portrait miniature is a miniature portrait painting, usually executed in gouache, watercolour, or enamel.Portrait miniatures began to flourish in 16th century Europe and the art was practiced during the 17th century and 18th century...
. Charles' collection was broken up and sold by auction in 1649, after Charles had been executed.
Van der Doort never lost the Dutch accent that is preserved in his copious annotations to the catalogues in his entirely phonetic spelling.