JOACHIM OTTENS, RENISSE AND MOERMONT HOUSE

JOACHIM OTTENS RENISSE AND MOERMONT HOUSE JOACHIM OTTENS Amsterdam 1663 – 1719 Amsterdam Etching and burin on paper, signed "RENISSE en’t Huis Moermont" and "Ottens exc. Amst." 19.6 x 26.2 cm / 7.7 x 10.3 in, framed 32.4 x 38.4 cm / 12.8 x 15.1 in PROVENANCE Private collection, Vienna This refined engraving presents a view of the village of Renisse and the Moermont estate, immersed in a green and carefully landscaped environment. In the foreground, a group of riders accompanied by dogs evokes a hunting episode or the arrival of aristocrats. The estate appears in the background, among trees and gardens, with bell towers and roofs dotting the skyline. The high level of detail, the balance between architectural clarity and scenic richness, as well as the refined rendering of light and shadow, reflect the visual sophistication typical of the Ottens workshop. Although published under the name of the Ottens brothers, the composition and style of the costumes suggest that the original plate may have been engraved by their father, Joachim Ottens, in the late 17th century and later reprinted by his sons in the early 18th century. ABOUT THE PRINTERS: REINER AND JOSHUA OTTENS AND THE AMSTERDAM DYNASTY Reiner Ottens (1698–1750) and Joshua Ottens (1704–1765) were part of a well-known Amsterdam dynasty of cartographers and engravers, active for over a century. Their father, Joachim Ottens (1663–1719), came from a family of navigators and received his training within the Evangelical Lutheran community of Amsterdam. In his youth, he collaborated with the famous cartographer Frederik de Wit and, as early as the 1680s, founded his own publishing workshop specializing in maps, architectural drawings, and ornamental prints. The activity was continued by his widow and later by his sons. The Ottens family owned several properties in the heart of Amsterdam, including locations on Nieuwendijk and Kalverstraat, and was deeply integrated into the intellectual and commercial life of the city. The workshop operated under the sign “De Werelt Kaart” (“The World Map”), testifying to their cartographic vocation. The family actively participated in the Guild of Engravers and Art Dealers, obtaining the official status of poorter (citizen) and gildelid (guild member). After Joachim's death in 1719, the business passed to his two younger sons, Reiner and Joshua. Their professional collaboration was formalized in 1726 with a contract that regulated every aspect: from cohabitation to the management of the workshop, up to the rights in case of marriage. Upon Reiner's death in 1750, Joshua continued the business, and documents attest that the latter's widow maintained it at least until the late 1770s. Although the Ottens family is sometimes associated with Jewish origins—perhaps due to Joachim's roots or his social environment—official documents confirm membership in the Lutheran community of Amsterdam. At that time, the city offered a cosmopolitan environment, where people of Jewish, Protestant, German, and Flemish origins interacted closely. It was in this multilingual and multicultural context that the Ottens publishing house developed its distinctive style and its own success. The Ottens brothers have left a rich legacy that includes engravings such as the present views of Capelle and Renisse, as well as maps, atlases, architectural plates, and decorative prints. Their works reflect not only the technical mastery of engraving, but also the high level of organization and the vision that made their family business an essential component of the cultural fabric of Amsterdam in the 18th century.