Jan ten Compeartist • painterAmsterdam 1713-1761

Jan ten Compe from Amsterdam made many topographical drawings, but his painted cityscapes gave him by far the greatest fame. In his paintings he combines the fine detailing of the buildings with beautifully elaborated sky above. The Kloveniersdoelen, shown on the left in this painting, in front of the 'Swych Utrecht' tower, served as a gathering place and practice area for a number of companies of the local militia. The 'Nachtwacht', the group portrait of one of the Kloveniers companies, delivered by Rembrandt in 1642, hung in the large banquet hall of the Kloveniersdoelen until around 1715. In 1635 Rembrandt had moved with his wife Saskia van Uylenburgh to a rented house on the Nieuwe Doelenstraat, where they continued to live until 1637. In those days this street was a decent place to live, with beautiful, new houses.