The Groninger Museum has acquired a rare sundial (ca. 1700-1706) made by the Groninger sculptor Jan de Rijk (1661-1738). The nearly three-meter-high object was unknown until earlier this year, when it was presented at TEFAF Maastricht. Since then, the richly decorated instrument has been on display at the Groninger Museum. The museum was able to acquire the work through sponsors and donations.
Jan de Rijk (1661 – 1738), Sundial, ca. 1700-1706, Groninger Museum in Groningen, the Netherlands, photo by Heinz Aebi
Commission
The sundial was made by Jan de Rijk (1661-1738), one of the most important sculptors of the Groningen Baroque. The identity of the astronomer who must have helped De Rijk design the object remains unknown. The monogram on the sundial with the initials WA can be traced back to the Alberda family from Groningen. The latitude indicated is the same as that of ‘t Zandt and Godlinze in the north of the province. This strongly suggests that Willem Alberda, the lord of ‘t Zandt and Godlinze and later of Dijksterhuis (1674-1721), commissioned the sundial.
Jan de Rijk (1661 – 1738), Sundial, ca. 1700-1706, Groninger Museum in Groningen, the Netherlands, photo by Heinz Aebi
Showpiece
Given its size and the materials used, the sundial was probably displayed as a showpiece rather than a scientific instrument. The polyhedral (multi-faceted) sundial, carved from oak, is lavishly decorated with putti, allegorical figures and ornaments. This makes it a remarkable example of Groningen’s artistic and scientific craftsmanship. It shows that the Groningen elite strove to position themselves on the same level as their contemporaries elsewhere in Europe.
The sundial also shows how the global power relations of the time were reflected in Groningen, suggesting a specific hierarchy. At the base of the sundial are the personifications of the continents, in which Europe emphatically presents itself as the leading and culturally dominant continent. Groningen’s elite was closely involved with the WIC and the VOC, which left their mark on the province. At the center of the sundial are four putti depicting the seasons, representing a harmonious interplay between time and nature. The sundial bears witness to both progress and oppression, and invites reflection on our complex heritage.
Jan de Rijk (1661 – 1738), Sundial, ca. 1700-1706, Groninger Museum in Groningen, the Netherlands, photo by Heinz Aebi