Gerrit Adriaensz. Berckheyde
Dutch, 1638–1698
Church of Saint Cecilia, Cologne
c. 1685
The twelfth-century Church of Saint Cecilia appears on the left in this view of the German city of Cologne. It is one of several images of the city’s famous Romanesque churches that Dutch artist Gerrit Berckheyde painted in the seventeenth century. The scene demonstrates Berckheyde’s ability to subtly blend reality and fantasy in the urban landscape. While sharp shadows articulate the actual architectural features of the church, figures performing various activities around the building are likely products of the artist’s imagination, included to create an impression of local life.
| Medium | oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 20 3/8 x 24 1/4 in. (51.8 x 61.6 cm) |
| Object Number | 1980.15 |
| Acquisition | Bequest of C. C. Cunningham, 1980 |
| Status | Off View |
Image Caption
Gerrit Adriaensz. Berckheyde, Church of Saint Cecilia, Cologne, c. 1685, oil on canvas. Clark Art Institute, Bequest of C C Cunningham, 1980.15
Select Bibliography
A Loan Exhibition of Fifty Painters of Architecture. Hartford: Wadsworth Athenaeum, 1947.
Commencement Exhibitions: Memorial to Alfred Vance Churchill, Works of Art Belonging to Alumnae, Early Student Room, Smith College Students’ Work. Northampton: Smith College Museum of Art, 1950.
