Extremely rare 17th century Dutch silver six-light chandelier
Michiel Esselbeeck | Amsterdam, 1662
1840 grams | 30.5 cm high | 37 cm diameter
Michiel Esselbeeck (Augsburg 1611- Amsterdam 1671), was drawn to the tolerant and thriving city of Amsterdam, where numerous craftsmen could flourish during the 17th century. His marriage to Heyltje Grell in 1640, whose father Hendrik Grell was an Amsterdam-based goldsmith of Bremen origin, enabled him to integrate rapidly. Esselbeeck was admitted to the Amsterdam silversmiths’ guild in 1642, where his maker’s mark was struck on the special plate and his name written in the German manner: Michiel Eβelbeeck van Ausborgh. Over the years he developed himself as a very skilled and highly esteemed master in his workshop at Kalverstraat in Amsterdam and he managed to obtain important commissions due to his good contacts to diplomats, wealthy merchants and the clergy. Of the 23 known objects, manufactured by Esselbeeck, including this chandelier, some 10 are profane and 13 intended for liturgical use in hidden churches. His work often shows traces of his German origin, especially in the gilt chased and cast ornaments. According to archives Esselbeeck surrounded himself with fellow craftsmen of good reputation, often with German roots. Most of the objects made by Esselbeeck, are now in collections of leading museums such as National Museum Copenhagen, Museum Kremlin Moscow, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Catharijneconvent Utrecht and Gemeentemuseum Deventer. The Rheinische Friederich Wilhelms University in Bonn, several churches in The Netherlands and one in Spain also possess objects of his hand.
From 17th century Dutch archives and paintings it becomes clear that silver chandeliers were mere status symbols. They must be associated with royalty, nobility or prosperous patricians. Even at that time they were uncommon. Both the Hague silversmiths Pieter van Rheenen in 1680 and Adam Loofs in 1685 manufactured a silver eight-light chandelier for Stadholder Willem III, the later King William III. In 1697 Cornelis de Jonge van Ellemeet, also residing in the Hague, commissioned a silver chandelier, costing 1141 guilders. In an inventory of the estate of the Alkmaar family Van Foreest, one of the richest families in Holland, a silver six-light chandelier is mentioned, weighing ‘119 loot’, which is only three grams more than the weight of the six-light chandelier, made by Esselbeek in 1662. In the paintings ‘The young mother” (1658) and a self-portrait (1647) by the Leiden painter Gerard Dou, one of Rembrandt’s pupils, a silver six-light chandelier is depicted, which is very similar in shape to one Michiel Esselbeeck made in Amsterdam in 1662. This chandelier is believed to be the only still existing 17th century Dutch silver example, which was not melted down.
Provenance:
Possibly Nanning van Foreest, Hoorn, 1745, Thence by descent Jacoba Maria van de Blocquery (born Van Foreest); 1795 Amsterdam; 1853-1927 return on Dutch market;
