The self-taught artist Abraham Rademaker showed great talent already at young age. He was the son of a glazier, Frederik Rademaker who gave his son free way to explore his talents.
Rademaker follows well in the line of generations of topographical draughtsmen, initiated by artists like Claes Jansz. Visscher and Reinier Nooms. Draughtsmen who followed in Rademaker’s footsteps were the 18th century artists Cornelis Pronk, Jan de Beijer and Paulus van Liender. In 1732 Abraham joined the St. Luke Guild of Haarlem.[1][2] Abraham died in 1735. On his death, Taco Hajo Jelgersma made a drawing "ad cadavrum" after which Cornelis van Noorde engraved Abraham's portrait.
The Old Town House of Amsterdam burnt down on the 7th of July 1652. By coincidence the fire took place while the construction of the new Town House had already started. It was replaced by the new Town House which was finished in 1655, the present Palace at the Dam (Paleis op de Dam), designed by the architect Jacob van Campen (1596-1657).
Jan Abrahamsz. van Beerstraten (1622-1666) painted a similar view on The Old Town House of Amsterdam from the same vantage point, though in a completely different time of the year (Winter).[3]
[1] C.J. Kaldenbach, 'Abraham Rademaker (1676/77-1735); nieuwe biografische gegevens en een verkenning van zijn getekende werk', Leids Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek 4 (1985), p. 165-178.
[2] Charles Dumas and Willem Beelaerts van Blokland, De kasteeltekeningen van Abraham Rademaker. Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle, 2006.
[3] Jan Abrahamsz. van Beerstraten, De Dam met het oude stadhuis te Amsterdam.
Oil on panel, 49 x 59 cm. Amsterdam Museum, vinv./cat.nr. SA 2999
