7.3 'henritio zones fl. 60 / Roma, 1647'
The only signed works by Hendrik Sonnius (c. 1615-after 1688) that we know of are a painting with an Italianate landscape and two remarkable drawings made on precious and fragile vellum [8-9]. One of these drawings was probably made in Rome, as suggested by the inscription 'henritio zones fl. 60 / Roma, 1647' [8]. This rare drawing of an Italianate landscape with travellers and a donkey has the impressive size of 346 x 485 mm. It depicts a landscape with Northern and Southern elements. According to Van Regteren it has clear similarities to the compositions of Jan Both.1 A signed painting with an Italianate landscape was sold at auction in 2005 [10].
The date of birth of Hendrick Sonnius, son of Hendrick Sonnius senior (d. c. 1659) and Saartje de Vos (d. c. 1671), is unknown. A 'Henricus quondam Henrici Zonii, Aghenesis in Hollandia, coelebs, aetatis suae anorak 26 incirca' is mentioned in a Liber Mortuorum of the parish of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome on 28 September 1649.2 In the same year a painter called Hendrick Sonnius is recorded in the archives of The Hague, where he is last documented in 1659.3
This information leaves us with the important question whether the signed drawing with inscription is by the Sonnius who is mentioned in the Roman parish archives. Until now it was assumed that the drawing was made by the Sonnius who is registered in the archives of The Hague’s guild.4 Although the profession of the Hendrick Sonnius mentioned in the Roman parish archive is not specified, and Hoogewerff suggests that his name should be read as Hendrik Hendrikszoon, we cannot exclude the possibility that the drawing was created by 'Henritio Zonius, Aghenesis in Hollandia'.
8
Hendrik Sonnius
Italianate landscape with two travellers and a small temple, dated 1647
Haarlem, Teylers Museum
9
Hendrik Sonnius
Wooded landscape with two figures, dated 1645
London (England), British Museum, inv./cat.nr. SL 5237.89
10
Hendrik Sonnius
Southern landscape with an inn near ruins, dated 1645
Notes
1 Van Regteren Altena 1930, p. 166.
2 Hoogewerff 1942, p. 73: ‘Anno 1649, die 28 septembris. Henricus quondam Henrici Zonii, Aghensis in Hollandia, coelebs, aetatis suae annorum 26 incirca, in domo suae habitationis in Via Paulina in communione S.Matris Ecclesiae animam Deo reddidit; cujus corpus sepultum est in hac ecclesia. Cum heri mane confessarium nationis, Augustinianum de Jesu Maria, vocandum curasset in lethargiam incidit; a quo tamen stante testificatione hujusmodi sacramentaliter absolutus fuit, et per me curatum subinde sacri olei unctione roboratus’.
3 Bredius 1921, vol. 7, p. 139: ‘1649. 26 juli. Hendrick Sonnius bürgt für Guillaume Larsson, beeltsnyder (im Haag), für fl. 129: 1: 6’; Obreen 1881-1882, p. 9, 30, 76.
4 Idem.