| Commentary | The late plate engraver was Cornelis van Dalen I, father of Cornelis van Dalen II. Some of the plates listed in the inventory include some from which prints attributed to both Cornelis van Dalen I and Dalen II were made (cf. in particular the print of a moortje after Flinck, which is probably the print of a negress by this artist; this print has been attributed to Dalen II). Dirck van Risjwijck, mentioned in the introduction to the inventory, was the goldsmith, sculptor, and artist working in mother-of-pearl, praised for his pictures in Fokkens's description of Amsterdam. What makes this conjecture more probable is the mother-of-pearl flower still life found in the inventory. On 16 February 1625, Cornelis van Dalen I was a witness to the baptism of Barbeltje, the daughter of the wine dealer Jan Aerjansz. Keyser of R 23767 of Montias2 (Oud Holland 3(1885), p.137). On 28 December 1638, Cornelis van Dalen and his wife Catrijn Jans had his son Cornelis (van Dalen II) baptized in the N.K. in the presence of Lijntje Frisma (ibid.). On 13 November 1640 the couple had their daughter Sara baptized in the same church in the presence of Lijntje Hectors (ibid.) Catrijn Jans died before her husband. On 9 September 1664, Cornelis van Dalen, plate engraver (plaetsnyder), sick in body, living in the Prinsengracht in the Toren van Amersfoort, drew up his testament. He left to Lavina Jans, his late wife's oldest sister, 600 f. plus a beaker made by her late father; to Esther Jacobs van Hasbeeck, another sister of his wife, 1,000 f. plus the silver beaker with his coat-of-arms; and to his maid Geertruyd Jacobs, 400 f. plus some household goods. His universal legatee was the plate engraver Abraham Blotelingh, who would be allowed to draw some cash from his estate immediately. The executors were Blotelingh, Dirck van Rijswijck, and the silversmith Gerrit Jansz. Tiel. The latter was given as a bequest the fables of Ovid in High German (ibid.) He may have been the son of the bookseller Jan Tiel of R 23259 of Montias2. Cornelis van Dalen I was buried on 7 April 1665 (ibid.) On 11 April 1665, Dirck van Amersfoort, stone dealer, living on the Elandsgracht, acknowledged having received from the hands of Abraham Blotelingh (the printmaker), heir of Cornelis van Dalen, the sum of 125 f. for a half year rent of the house on the Prinsengracht de Tooren van Amersfoort (ibid.) On 25 April 1665, Dirck van Rijswijck, goldsmith, acknowledged having received out of the hands of Abraham Blotelingh the sum of 26 silver ducatons, which, together with the 14 ducatons that he owed Cornelis van Dalen, made up the sum of 40 ducatons left to him by Van Dalen in his testament (ibid.) |
