.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Commissioned by the Duchess of Sutherland in 1838, this painting is inspired by an earlier Old Testament composition by Hensel, Miriam's Song of Praise, painted in 1836, and acquired by Queen Victoria in 1843 (Royal Collection). Hensel's first treatment of the theme depicts the flight of the Israelites from Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus (15:20-21); here he repeats exactly the figure of the lyre-playing shepherdess of the earlier work, but refers to a time preceding the Exodus. The river and pyramids point to an Egyptian setting on the banks of the Nile, while the region of 'Gosen' mentioned in the title, refers to the Book of Genesis (45:10-11):
'And thou [Jacob] shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; and there will I nourish thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.'
The biblical reference is reinforced by the rams, which symbolise not only strength, but also vitality and fertility, the characteristics of the Land of Goshen, to which the Israelites went during the famine.
The brother-in-law of Felix Mendelssohn and an official painter of the Prussian Court, Hensel was well placed to gain access to the highest levels of British society. His connection to Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland, stretched back to 1821 when he had portrayed her future husband, Lord Gower. From 1837 to 1841 Harriet presided over the female royal household in her position as Mistress of the Robes. A formal letter of introduction from King Frederick William IV to Prince Albert on a second visit by Hensel to England in 1843 further cemented his position as a favoured artist of the English establishment.
This painting was commissioned on Hensel's first journey to London, when he brought with him both his painting of Miriam and another biblical painting, Christ in the Wilderness. Through the efforts of the Duchess and of Baroness Lehzen, an audience with Victoria was arranged for her to see both paintings. The Queen recorded in her diary that she 'went to look at two veryfine pictures by a German artist called Hansel (sic) which are really very fine. I saw the painter myself'(Journal, 18 August, 1838). Although immediate arrangements were made for Victoria to acquire the painting of Miriam, for reasons unknown the purchase was not completed until after Hensel's second visit to London in 1843.
It seems clear that the Duchess of Sutherland, inspired by both Hensel's painting of Miriam and the Queen's reaction to it, commissioned a painting which repeated its central motif. Hensel started work on his new commission on January 6th, 1839, finishing it on the 26th of July. The following month, the periodical Morgenblatt für gebildete Leser recorded: 'Berlin. 20th August. Prof. Wilh. Hensel has just completed An Israelite Shepherdess in the Land of Goshen who pastures her herd at the River Nile while playing a harp for the Duchess of Sutherland in London. The picture, which is excellent in its colouring and most admirable in its effects of light, measures 7½ ft. in height and 5 ft. in width and will leave in a few days for its destination, so cannot grace our art exhibition.'
'And thou [Jacob] shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast; and there will I nourish thee; for there are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to poverty, thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.'
The biblical reference is reinforced by the rams, which symbolise not only strength, but also vitality and fertility, the characteristics of the Land of Goshen, to which the Israelites went during the famine.
The brother-in-law of Felix Mendelssohn and an official painter of the Prussian Court, Hensel was well placed to gain access to the highest levels of British society. His connection to Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland, stretched back to 1821 when he had portrayed her future husband, Lord Gower. From 1837 to 1841 Harriet presided over the female royal household in her position as Mistress of the Robes. A formal letter of introduction from King Frederick William IV to Prince Albert on a second visit by Hensel to England in 1843 further cemented his position as a favoured artist of the English establishment.
This painting was commissioned on Hensel's first journey to London, when he brought with him both his painting of Miriam and another biblical painting, Christ in the Wilderness. Through the efforts of the Duchess and of Baroness Lehzen, an audience with Victoria was arranged for her to see both paintings. The Queen recorded in her diary that she 'went to look at two veryfine pictures by a German artist called Hansel (sic) which are really very fine. I saw the painter myself'(Journal, 18 August, 1838). Although immediate arrangements were made for Victoria to acquire the painting of Miriam, for reasons unknown the purchase was not completed until after Hensel's second visit to London in 1843.
It seems clear that the Duchess of Sutherland, inspired by both Hensel's painting of Miriam and the Queen's reaction to it, commissioned a painting which repeated its central motif. Hensel started work on his new commission on January 6th, 1839, finishing it on the 26th of July. The following month, the periodical Morgenblatt für gebildete Leser recorded: 'Berlin. 20th August. Prof. Wilh. Hensel has just completed An Israelite Shepherdess in the Land of Goshen who pastures her herd at the River Nile while playing a harp for the Duchess of Sutherland in London. The picture, which is excellent in its colouring and most admirable in its effects of light, measures 7½ ft. in height and 5 ft. in width and will leave in a few days for its destination, so cannot grace our art exhibition.'