This pair of paintings depict views of Paleis Huis ten Bosch, a renowned palace near The Hague in the Netherlands, rendered in a detailed 19th-century Dutch landscape style.

Huis ten Bosch is a grand royal palace located in The Hague, and serves as one of the three official residences of the Dutch monarch. Presently, it is the main residence of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, his wife Queen Máxima, and their three daughters: Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia, and Princess Ariane. This royal family has lived there since January 2019, following a substantial renovation and modernization of the palace that restored much of its historical appearance.

Originally commissioned in the 17th century by Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, Huis ten Bosch has served as a royal home for centuries. Over time, it has housed many important figures. Queen Beatrix lived in the palace from 1981 until 2013. Queen Wilhelmina resided there during World War I. King William I made it an official residence in the early 19th century. The palace was briefly inhabited by King Louis Bonaparte, Napoleon’s brother, in the early 1800s

Huis ten Bosch stands as a symbol of the Dutch royal family, having been the residence of multiple generations of monarchs and their relatives. It remains a lived-in palace, adapting to the times while preserving its rich historical legacy as the home and workplace of the Netherlands’ reigning sovereign

Both paintings showcase the regal architecture of the palace, emphasizing its elegant façade, symmetrical windows, and stately domes. In the left image, the iron gates and distant view of the building create a sense of approach and anticipation, while the right image offers a closer perspective, highlighting the palace’s intricate details and the surrounding gardens.

The lush greenery and towering trees frame each composition, providing depth and a feeling of serenity. The use of light and soft cloud-filled skies enhances the peaceful ambiance. Presence of distant figures—genteel guests at the gate and equestrians near the palace—adds life, showing the estate’s active role in social and courtly life during its historical era.

Johannes Merken was a Dutch painter, draftsman, and engraver active during the mid-18th century, around 1725 to 1756. He is associated with finely detailed town views, architectural scenes, and landscape paintings, often depicting prominent locations in The Hague and Amsterdam. One of his notable works is a view of the Mauritshuis in The Hague, dated 1754, exemplifying his talent for rendering urban landscapes with precision and elegance.

Provenance: Den Haag, coll. Gerard Hoet Jr. (1698-1760) (met de pendant); diens veiling Den Haag (Franken & Van Thol), 25-28 augustus 1760 (LUGT 1109), nr. 222; coll. Abraham Westerhoff (1718-1780) (met de pendant); Den Haag, coll. diens weduwe Cornelia Hillegonda Westerhoff-van Heemskerck (1726-1782) (met de pendant); haar veiling Den Haag (Rietmulder), 26 augustus 1782 (LUGT 3459); Londen, coll. Frederick Anthony White (1842-1925) (met de pendant); diens veiling Londen (Christie’s), 18 december 1925 (LUGT 89525), nr. 50; Douwes (identificatie gebaseerd op een foto van de pendant in de Witt Library, Londen); Amsterdam, kunsthandel Gebr.Douwes (met de pendant); Den Haag / Londen, coll. Mr. Edgar Frederik Marie Justin baron Michiels van Verduynen, heer van de Groote Lindt en van Verduynen (1885-1952) (met de pendant); Wassenaar, coll. diens weduwe Henriette Elisabeth barones Michiels van Verduynen-Jochems (1882-1968) (met de pendant); Wassenaar coll. haar zoon (uit haar eerdere huwelijk met Ernst Louis Leopold baron van Tuyll van Serooskerken) Frederik Willem Walter baron van Tuyll van Serooskerken (1911-1985) (met de pendant); Caundle Marsh (Dorset), Marsh Court, coll. diens jongste zoon George Catharinus Willem baron van Tuyll van Serooskerken (geb. 1946) (met de pendant); diens veiling Dorchester (Duke’s)

Literature: HOET/TERWESTEN 1770, p. 235, nr. 212 (als ‘Een Gezicht van ’t Huis in ’t Bosch, van vooren, door denzelven [Merken]; SLOTHOUWER 1945, pp. 215, 218, 387, afb. 37 op p. 213 GERSON 1961, pp. 10-11, afb. 15 (idem); LOONSTRA 1985, afb. in kleur op p. 64 DUMAS 1991-B, p. 327 (als J. Merken), p. 529, noot 4, p. 535, noten 31 en 33.

Exhibitions:: AMSTERDAM 1931, nr. 344 (als P.C. la Fargue); DEN HAAG 1936/37, nr. 73 (idem); DELFT 1956, nr. 182-I (als La Fargue); DEN HAAG 1973/74, 12 (als P.C. la Fargue).

We kindly thank Mr. C. Dumas for the information provided above