WITTE, Emanuel de
(b. 1617, Alkmaar, d. 1692, Amsterdam)

View of the Tomb of William the Silent in the New Church in Delft

1656
Oil on canvas, 97 x 85 cm
Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille

De Witte began his career as a figure painter but later he decided to specialise in church interiors. However, even in this genre he continued to exhibit a remarkable interest in the human figure. Here he painted men, women, and children in the vicinity of the impressive tomb of William the Silent. Just as in other church interior paintings by Houckgeest and Saenredam, dogs run around the church. The painters were hereby drawing attention to an everyday situation that sometimes got out of hand.