2.5 Concluding Remarks
Ovens cannot only be characterised as a ‘gentleman-painter’, but as a ‘gentleman-dealer’ as well.1 Given his background and character, he enjoyed a good reputation as a buyer and seller of art. Ovens was well-mannered, financially trustworthy, reliable, predictable, and interacted with high-placed commissioners, such as the Amsterdam burgomasters. He visited important Amsterdam art dealers and collectors, such as Hendrick Scholten (1617–1679) and Pieter (1612–1680) or Jan Six (1618–1700).2 Ovens undertook a valuation of paintings in 1660 with Ferdinand Bol (1616–1680), an activity for which often experienced art dealers were asked.3 Incriminating archival documents concerning Ovens’ dealings in art are not known. He surely knew the unwritten rules, codes and intricate workings of the art market in the Dutch Republic. His great wealth allowed him to operate independently, if necessary – the often late payments for deliveries for which the Dukes were known wouldn’t directly harm Ovens. There are no indications that Frederick III required Ovens to inform him about political issues in the Dutch Republic or to spy abroad.4 It is very likely however, that in practice, the Duke heard him out on anything he might know about interesting developments in Holland.5
Ovens probably also acted as an intermediary at the Gottorf court for other (Dutch) artists. He may have influenced the taste of the Dukes in artistic matters. Did he buy works of art in Holland on his own initiative, in the expectation that they would please the Dukes? It is conceivable that Ovens received hints from the Gottorf ‘collection manager’ Olearius from time to time on what to buy in the Dutch Republic for the Dukes.6
The Gottorf account books show that Ovens was active as an art agent for the Dukes Frederick III and Christian Albrecht for at least 13 years, namely from 1652 until 1665. Although Ovens was first and foremost an artist and in the second place a collector and art dealer, these documents suggest a flourishing trade in art with Amsterdam. Thanks to Ovens’ good relations with the court in Schleswig – he was the privileged painter of Frederick III and Christian Albrecht – the Amsterdam art dealer Gerrit Uylenburgh was able to sell works of art to the Dukes through him. Ovens delivered them all kinds of artworks, like paintings, prints and marble statues. Through his activities as an art dealer for Frederick III and Christian Albrecht, Ovens contributed to developing the Duchy of Gottorf into one of the cultural centres of Northern Europe.
In this essay, it is suggested for the first time that Ovens might have been involved in the acquisition of Van de Venne’s painted animal series, and of three paintings now in Göttingen, for Gottorf Castle. Unfortunately, gaps in our knowledge on Ovens’ undertakings as an art dealer remain. It is, for instance, not always known when, how and from whom he obtained the artworks he supplied Frederick III and Christian Albrecht with. Perhaps one or more documents will once come to the surface and shed new light on Ovens’ interesting activities as an art agent for the Dukes of Gottorf.
Notes
1 On Ovens’ art dealership: Schmidt 1922, pp. 94–96; Lammertse 2006B, pp. 258–263. Kaiser/North et al. 2017, p. 204 falsely do not register Ovens as an art dealer.
2 On Scholten: Larsen 2020A, p. 111, note 29. For the Six brothers: Manuth et al. 2017. Ovens also paid a visit to the Antwerp art Sebastiaen Leerse (1584–1664) (RKDimages 297637). Perhaps he bought works of art in the city on the Scheldt with the purpose of selling them to the Gottorf court. On Leerse: Schmidt-Scharff 1931, pp. 5–6, 125–126, note 20; Newman 2018, pp. 39, 58, note 71.
3 SAA 5075, notary Pieter de Bary, inv.no. 1714B, fol. 371–372, 16 October 1660; Bredius 1908, p. 222; Schmidt 1922, pp. 31, 289; Van Eeghen 1969, p. 71; Strauss/Van der Meulen 1979, p. 461, no. 1660/15. Köster 2017, p. 26 falsely states that Bol and Ovens appraised the paintings in the probate inventory of Clara de Valaer (1584–1660). They solely assessed the value of five portraits, including one by Rembrandt of the deceased Hendrick van Domselaer (1580/81–1652), Clara’s second husband (42 Guilders). The location of these works is not known.
4 International art dealers sometimes spied. For instance, the Dutchman Pieter Isaacsz. (1568–1625) worked as a court artist and art dealer for the Danish King Christian IV. He passed on information to the Swedish chancellor Axel Oxenstierna (1583–1654). On Isaacsz.: Roding 1997; Noldus/Roding 2007. Oxenstierna’s political and cultural agent in Amsterdam from 1632 onwards, Michel le Blon (1587–1658), also handed down sensitive knowledge to his patron. See Noldus 2006. On Le Blon: De la Fontaine Verwey 1969; idem 1971.
5 On Frederick III and his intelligencers: Rathjen 1997; Keller/Penman 2015, pp. 27–29.
6 Keblusek 2011, pp. 19–20. On this subject: Cools et al. 2006; Turpin/Bracken 2021.