Petrus Gerardus Vertin (1819-1893) - Hollands Straatje (NO RESERVE)

Petrus Gerardus Vertin (1819–1893)
Holland's Little Street
Mixed technique on paper (pencil/graphite and black ink/watercolor)
Visible work approximately 27 × 27 cm; including frame approximately 39 × 39.5 cm.
Romanticism (nineteenth-century Dutch street and cityscape views)
Hand-signed verso and dated 1840; signature visible via the reverse side.
Condition: discoloration and foxing; clearly visible under UV; framed with a passe-partout and thick glass, also visible from the back behind the glass.

Introduction

This work by Petrus Gerardus Vertin presents a tranquil, observant view of a Dutch street, executed with an remarkable sense of perspective, architectural characterization, and atmosphere. The early dating (1840) places the sheet in a phase where the artist shapes his handwriting: precise in line work, controlled in tone, and effective in suggesting space. The result is an intimate street view that relies not on spectacle but on mood, rhythm, and the recognizable character of Dutch architecture.

The visual story

The viewer looks down a street that opens slightly towards the back. On the left and right, houses and sheds flank the route, with pronounced rooflines, simple facades, and shutters that act as visual 'anchors' in the central plan. In the street itself, two small figures are present: one closer, holding a broom or rake, and further back, a second figure that activates the background. In the foreground, a dog walks, a subtle but important detail that humanizes the scene and keeps the scale understandable.

What makes the depiction convincing is the combination of calm and liveliness: the scene is peaceful but not static. The street surface with traces and texture, the interplay of shadow and light on the facades, and the small figures that 'measure' the space give the whole a credible, everyday presence. This is precisely the domain where nineteenth-century romantic artists excelled: elevating the everyday to a carrier of emotion and sense of time.

Technique and construction

The sheet is executed in mixed technique, where pencil/graphite and black ink functionally complement each other.

1. Pencil/graphite as tone and foundation.
With graphite, soft shadows and tone fields are applied: the street, the facades, the roof sections, and the sky. Graphite is ideally suited to suggest depth with minimal means: closer areas typically have stronger tone contrast; towards the back, the values become lighter and more uniform, thereby naturally enhancing the perspective.

Black ink as structure and accent
The ink line clarifies edges, joints, window frames, and structural elements. Especially in architecture, this helps to enhance 'readability': the viewer immediately understands how a facade is constructed, where the shutters hinge, and how the roof edge runs. Additionally, the ink gives the work a graphic crispness characteristic of artists who are also familiar with print techniques such as etching or lithography.

Hatching and material impression
Door arches and short strokes create a suggestion of texture: roof tiles, rough masonry, wooden shutters, street dirt, and muddy tracks. These are not excessive details but selective cues. Vertin chooses where he adds 'information' and where he allows space to breathe, maintaining an elegant balance between description and atmosphere.

Color palette and lighting effects

Because the work was executed in monochrome media, the palette unfolds within a spectrum of grays and black, softened by the warm base tone of the paper. That limitation is an advantage here: attention is drawn to composition, light, and rhythm.

The sky is kept relatively calm; as a result, the architecture gains more weight and the volumes appear more solid. The light is diffuse, as if it were a cloudy day. This produces an even, soft shadow effect, without harsh contrasts. This choice perfectly aligns with the romantic pursuit of mood: not the bright sunlight, but the subdued 'northern' light that gently softens the surroundings.

Composition and perspective

The composition is carefully constructed around a few classical principles.

Guiding principle
The street functions as a natural leading line that draws the viewer's eye into the image. The curve or subtle bend in its course prevents the scene from appearing flat; it creates a sense of 'around the corner' and thus of continuation beyond the frame.

Flanking masses
The buildings on the left and right form a corridor. On the left is the silhouette of the roof, while on the right stands a larger facade mass with shutters and windows that provide a counterbalance. Together, they frame the central plan and emphasize the vanishing point.

Scale and human measure
The figure with the tool and the dog are crucial for scale. Without these 'measures,' the buildings could become abstract; with these small elements, the street immediately feels human and credible.

Depth through tone reduction
In the background, tones become lighter and details more sparing. This is a proven way to suggest atmospheric perspective, even in black and white.

Stylistic placement within art history

This sheet fits within nineteenth-century romanticism and the Dutch tradition of topographical and picturesque scenes. In the Netherlands, there is a long line of artists and painters who approach the urban or village motif as a combination of documentation and poetry. Vertin is considered part of this tradition as an artist who does not render the topographical merely dryly, but 'embodies' it with light, texture, and small narrative cues.

Within romanticism, the picturesque is a core concept: the charming, irregular, and historically evocative street scene that invites observation and remembrance. This work possesses that quality through its sober architecture, shutters, street layout, and the tranquil human presence.

Some related style matches (no further explanation, comma-separated):
Cornelis Springer, Bartholomeus Johannes van Hove, Johannes Bosboom, Canaletto, Bernardo Bellotto

The artist: position and background

Petrus Gerardus Vertin (1819–1893) is mainly known for city and street views and landscapes, with a clear affinity for architecture and perspective. He is connected to The Hague, where he also studied at the Royal Academy of Art. Broadly speaking, his work aligns with the nineteenth-century interest in the 'own' urban and landscape heritage: recognizable, sometimes topographically inspired, and often emphasizing atmosphere.

Important for this specific piece is that it is early dated. A date like 1840 is not just a year; it is a context: a moment when the artist's hand visibly develops, and when the combination of drawing skill and compositional awareness can already be mature. This makes early, dated works often attractive to collectors because they are convincing both aesthetically and documentarily.

Signature and dating

The hand-signed mention and the dating on the back are an essential part of the object. That the back is kept visible (behind thick glass) is more than a practical choice: it makes the signature and any notes or studio information part of the presentation and increases transparency for the buyer.

Paper condition and UV observation

The work shows discoloration and foxing. Foxing is a common phenomenon in historical paper works: brown specks or spots that can vary visually from subtle to clearly visible. Under UV light, this type of condition is usually more apparent, and in this case, it is explicitly mentioned that it is visible under UV.

It is important to emphasize that this type of condition feature is common in works on paper from the nineteenth century, especially when they have been preserved over time under varying climate conditions. In a catalog context, this is usually clearly noted, as here, so that the buyer can assess the condition.

List, mat, and presentation.

The work is presented in a wooden frame with veneer finish, with a passe-partout and thick glass. The passe-partout provides visual calm and creates distance between paper and glass, which can be aesthetically and conservationally relevant. The fact that both the front and back are visible behind glass gives the object a quasi-museum presentation: not only the image but also the 'material truth' of the work (support, notes, signature) becomes part of the experience.

Collectors' value and attractiveness

This work unites several qualities that resonate well in a premium auction context.
A recognizable, timeless Dutch motif with a strong atmospheric value.
• a convincing graphic execution with clear architectural mastery
Early dating that further positions the sheet within the oeuvre.
• Transparent condition information including UV indication
Well-presented with a visible signature on the back.

For collectors of 19th-century Dutch romanticism, Hague drawing art, and cityscape and street views, this is an attractive, intimate work that effortlessly fits into both classical and modern interiors.

No Reserve

Offered without a minimum price. A characterful, early dated work on paper by Petrus Gerardus Vertin, depicting the picturesque Dutch street scene with restrained means and convincing spatiality.

The work 'Hollands Straatje' is a stylish wooden frame with veneer finish, with glass on the front and back sides, in passe-partout.

Total dimensions: 39x39.5cm
Visible artwork dimensions: 27x27cm

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