British picture restorers, 1630-1950 - V
A selective directory, to be revised and expanded regulary, 1st edition March 2009. Contributions and corrections are welcome, to Jacob Simon at jsimon@npg.org.uk.
William Vallance (1883-1951), Roy Vallance (b.1914), see William Holder
Herman Vander Myn, Amsterdam until 1709 or later, Antwerp 1712-1713, Düsseldorf to 1716, Antwerp 1716-1717, Paris 1718, Antwerp before 1721/2, London from 1721 or 1722, Soho Square (later no.27), London 1723-1728, Princes St, Cavendish Square 1734, Holland 1736-1737, London again until his death in 1741. Flower, history and portrait painter, picture restorer.
Heroman van der Mijn (c.1684-1741), or Herman Vander Myn as he was usually known in England, was born in Amsterdam, the son of Andries van der Mijn. He entered the studio of the flower painter, Ernst Stuven, and in 1706 married Susanna Bloemendal. After working in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Dusseldorf, he came to London in 1721 or 1722, recommended by Lord Cadogan and others, according to George Vertue's account in 1728 (Vertue vol.3, p.34). He took a house in Soho Square from 1723, charging high prices for his work, but ‘his affairs did not answer, & put him under difficulties to support the character & a great house in Soho Square' (Vertue vol.3, p.35, see also F.H.W. Sheppard (ed.), 'Nos. 27-28 Soho Square', Survey of London, vol.33, St Anne Soho, 1966, p.106, available online at www.british-history.ac.uk). This led him to hold an auction sale of his paintings at Christopher Cock's in 1728, advertised as the ‘Intire Works of Mr. H. Vander Myn' (Daily Post 7 May 1728). ‘Heroman Vandermyn', and Geertruyd, his second wife, had a son Robert, born in 1725 and christened at St Anne Soho, and another, George, christened there in 1727.
Vertue considered Vander Myn ‘a very Laborious neat painter' (Vertue vol.3, p.34). His portraits are typified by their high finish and sometimes complex iconography, e.g. Carew Hervey Mildmay, 1733 (Government Art Coll.)
‘Vander Myn', presumably Herman Vander Myn, was recommended to Brownlow, 8th Earl of Exeter, at Burghley House, Stamford, to clean and repair the pictures etc for £500, according to George Vertue, writing in 1732 or 1733 (Vertue vol.3, p.64). Herman Vander Myn's pictures, Rose on a covered glass, signed and dated 1730, and a pair, Spaniel and dead game, remain at Burghley. Horace Walpole, writing in 1764, mentioned these paintings and stated that ‘Vandermin...lived long with the last Earl' (Paget Toynbee (ed.), ‘Horace Walpole's Journals of Visits to Country Seats, etc', Walpole Society, vol.16, 1928, p.58).
Sources: A. Staring, ‘De van der Mijns in Engeland', Nederlands Kunsthistorisch Jaarboek, vol.17, 1966, pp.201-45, vol.19, 1968, pp.171-203; Hugh Belsey, ‘Mijn, Heroman van der (c.1684-1741)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, vol.38, 2004, pp.100-1. For abbreviations, see Resources and bibliography.
John van der Vaart, London from 1674, Covent Garden by 1695, Next door to the New Building, Henrietta St, Covent Garden to 1711, Little Piazza, Covent Garden 1727. Portrait painter and engraver.
The Dutch portrait painter and engraver, Jan van der Vaart (1653-1727), born in Haarlem, came to London in 1674 and earned his living as a drapery painter for Willem Wissing (Vertue vol.3, p.32). He also painted landscapes with small figures and still-lives.
In 1711 ‘Van der Vaart Painter' stated that he was ‘intending... to give over his Business', and shortly afterwards he advertised a sale of his collection of pictures (Post Man and the Historical Account 3 February 1711, 10 March 1711). Finding that he was losing his eyesight, he sold off his pictures and bought a small house in Covent Garden, where he began a lucrative business as a picture restorer, according to George Vertue (Vertue vol.3, p.32). A half length panel portrait of Sir Thomas Pope, founder of Trinity College Cambridge, was noted by Vertue, apparently in the mid-1720s, as due to be repaired by Van der Vaart (Vertue vol.1, p.151).
In his will, made 18 January and proved 29 March 1727, ‘John Vander Vaart' of the parish of St Paul Covent Garden made bequests to members of the Van der Vaart family and left the residue of his estate to his nephew and executor, John Arnold (qv). A sale of his pictures was held later the same year (Daily Post 12 December 1727).
Sources: Edward Croft-Murray and Paul Hulton, Catalogue of British Drawings, XVI & XVII Centuries, British Museum, 1960, pp.484-5. For abbreviations, see Resources and bibliography.
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Not included here since institutional histories are outside the scope of this directory. The following restorers in this directory were on the staff of the Museum: Frederick William Andrew, 1862-91 or longer, and Norman Spencer Brommelle. The following freelance restorers worked for the Museum: Horace Buttery, 1939, 1949-59, Sebastian Isepp for Apsley House pictures 1949-51. This is a provisional listing, which it is hoped to extend in the next edition of this directory.
Noticed a mistake? Have some extra information? Who should be added to this directory? Please contact Jacob Simon at jsimon@npg.org.uk.
