Volhard, Martinus Christiaan (1742–1795).

Als ook hier, het spannen van hare hangmatten / het vuren onder de bekers &c. [Also here, the stretching of their hammocks / the firing under the cups etc.].

Surinam, 1768.

Watercolour on laid paper, 21 x 34 cm (sheet), signed in ink: "M:C: Volhard ad viv: delt: 1768," captioned in ink (see title), numbered in ink "53" (twice) in the top and bottom right corners. Pasted to a cardboard mount.

A very rare drawing of the Indigenous inhabitants of Surinam, finely depicting specific cultural features, most likely observed firsthand by the artist in Surinam.

The Surinam Carib people include the Kalina, Lokono, Trio, and Wayana. They are known for their expertise in archery, hammock weaving, and pottery, as depicted in this drawing. Their daily lives revolve around sustainable practices such as fishing, hunting, and farming. The individuals in this scene are depicted separately, each representing distinct characteristics of Carib culture and the central role of women in their society. From left to right: a woman gazing kindly at the viewer, a man shooting a bow and arrow at a bird, a man gesturing behind a large earthenware pot, a mother with a suckling child tending a fire under a pot, and a man resting in a hammock.

The artist paid particular attention to specific details he observed as typical or unique. The man in the hammock, for instance, has fine facial tattoo lines, and a delicate chain is visible hanging from the side of his hammock. The method of tying the hammock to the tree is also drawn with great care.

Martinus Christiaan Volhard

Martinus Christiaan Volhard is primarily known as a heraldic painter from Rhenen, The Netherlands. However, he also created exceptional works on paper. Most notably, two extensive series of Surinamese flora and fauna drawings were auctioned in 1808. They were described as follows:

• Lot 54: A very fine collection of 50 original drawings of Surinamese birds, insects, and plants, all drawn and coloured from life in Surinam by M. C. Volhard, presented in an art book with a half binding.
• Lot 55: A similarly fine collection of a large number of Surinamese butterflies and insects, also drawn and coloured from life in Surinam by M. C. Volhard, on 41 sheets, presented in an art book with a half binding.

The albums reappeared in 1841 at an auction in Leiden, where they were described as “Two books with coloured depictions of Surinamese birds, insects, and plants, mostly drawn by M.C. Volhard.” After that sale, the albums disappeared from public record.

 “Drawn from Life”

Together, the albums comprised an impressive 91 drawings. This drawing appears to have been part of that collection, as it is signed “M.C. Volhard,” numbered “53,” and features Surinamese subject matter. The caption “Als ook hier” (Also here) suggests it was part of a series, potentially following another depiction of Indigenous people. Interestingly, auction records do not mention any depictions of people. This omission could indicate that the present drawing was removed from the album by a previous owner who felt it did not fit with the rest.

Stylistically and compositionally, the work aligns with contemporary Western depictions of Indigenous peoples in plantation colonies, such as those by Agostino Brunias and Robert Jacob Gordon. The large bow, facial tattoos, pottery, and hammock are all accurately depicted, further affirming its authenticity.

Additional Work by Volhard

In 2005, Skinner auctioned an optical transformation game titled L’Habit fait l’Homme, signed “M.C. Volhard fecit.” This work included unclothed male and female watercolour portrait cards on black grounds and 114 cut-paper overlays. Skinner noted it as “exceptional in many respects,” not least for its extensive overlays and being the only known signed transformation game by an artist. This, along with the Surinamese series, demonstrates that Volhard was far more than a provincial heraldic artist.

Condition:

Slightly soiled and minor spotting, otherwise in good condition.

Literature:

Catalogus eener allerkostbaarste verzameling van boeken […] J. van Buren […] ten Huize van B. Scheurleer […]. [The Hague, s.n., 1808], p. 6, no. 54 and 55.

Catalogus van eene uitgebreide verzameling schilderijen, door beroemde oude en hedendaagsche meesters : mitsgaders van teekeningen, prenten en prentwerken [...] : [...] nagelaten door J. Kleinenbergh, te Leiden : dewelke verkocht zullen worden onder directie van de kunstschilders A. Lamme, F. Breuhaus de Groot en A.J. Lamme ... op den 19 Julij 1841 […]. Leiden, H.W. Hazenberg Junior, 1841, p. 56.

H.P. Deys, J.M. Doorman & A.J. de Jong, ‘Oude huizen in de Rhenense binnenstad en hun bewoners. De woning van de familie Volhardt in de Kruisstraat’ in: Oud Rhenen 34 (2016), nr. 1, pp. 12-24.