Goupil & Co., The Hague (acquired from the artist on 13 March 1878)
Private Collection, North America (sale: Sotheby's, New York, 20 February 1992, lot 6)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Willem Laanstra, H.C. de Bruijn & Dr J.H.A. Ringeling, Cornelis Springer (1817-1891), Utrecht, 1984, p. 196, no. 78-2, catalogued

The panel is flat and even. Apart from some scattered minor retouchings visible under ultra-violet light, notably in the cloud above the roof to the left of the sky and some other scattered tiny spots (mainly in the sky), and a varnish which has yellowed slightly with age, overall this work is in very good condition. Held in a decorative gold-painted wood and plaster frame, with floral motifs. The colours in the catalogue illustration are broadly accurate, although the varnish is slightly yellower and the colours slightly deeper.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Cornelis Springer remains unchallenged 💟as the first and most accomplished Dutch painter of townscapes. From the mid-1850s onwards, he established his reputation as a painter specialised in topographically accurate town scenes. Such ♈works were so much in demand that collectors had to join a waiting list of up to three years.

Born into a family of carpenters and builders, Springer was gifted with a solid knowledge of architecture. His elder brother Hendrik Springer, a pro🦩fessional architect, taught him the principles of architectural drawing and perspective. After completing his studies at the Amsterdam Academy in 1835, Springer became a pupil of Kasparus Karsen, a well-known painter of town views.

Contrary to Karsen, who painted fantasised townscapes (so-called capriccio's), Springer strove for topogra🌌phically accurate views, discovering that these were much more in demand. Although Springer didn't eschew to embellish the arrangement of his town views, they reflect the actual situation fairly accurately, portraying life in a Dutch town in an imaginative way. As a rul𝓰e, Springer first studied the situation on the spot, after which he drew a preparatory sketch, usually on the size of the painting. After this he turned his sketches into finished paintings in his Amsterdam studio.

Spring🍒er worked in a painstakingly precise manner, which resulted in an incredible wealth of detail. He usually focussed his attention on a central part of a town, as in the present view of Oudewater in the province of Utrecht painted in 1878, which he depicted with a fine eye for historical detail. The richly decorated gabled houses furnished him with a unique opportunity to display his painterly skills. Springer populated his view with groups of figures and horses, adding to the animation of the picture. The scene is bathed in a soft, glowing sunlight, the masterful distribution of sunlit and shaded areas creating a real sense of depth that invites the viewer into the composition. Executed in meticulous detail, the present is a wonderful example of Springer's unique ability.