Interior of the Church of St Bavo in Haarlem, Pieter Jansz Saenredam, 1636
oil on panel, h 93.7cm × w 55.2cm Catalogue entry
Saenredam specialized in architectural painting. He studied buildings closely, making detailed drawings of them, which he then reworked into paintings. Here he chose a vantage point from behind an arch, which creates a second framing element. Our gaze is automatically drawn upwards to the old organ, which has a painted scene of the Resurrection of Christ. This is a remnant of the by-then long-abolished Catholic decoration.
