Jacob Elias La Fargue (1735–1778)

This important painting by “Jacob Elias La Fargue” (1735–1778) is titled
“Prospect of the Beginning of the Vyverberg and the Voorhout at The Hague, with the Cavalcade of Sir Joseph Yorke, Ambassador of Great Britain, in the Dutch Golden Coach of State, 1761.”

La Fargue, a notable 18th-century Dutch artist, was known for his detailed depictions of urban scenes and significant events in the Netherlands. The scene in this painting captures a grand procession at a prominent location in The Hague, with a bustling crowd gathered along the Vyverberg and the Voorhout. In the center of attention is the cavalcade of Sir Joseph Yorke, who was the British ambassador to the Netherlands.

Yorke is shown in the stately Dutch golden coach, a richly decorated carriage traditionally associated with Dutch royalty and used for diplomatic ceremonies. The painting is atmospheric, with a balanced composition that allows viewers to take in the lush greenery of the trees as well as the architectural details of the background buildings.

This painting not only documents a specific historical moment from 1761 but also gives a sense of the grandeur and formalities associated with diplomatic and state affairs of that era. The attention to detail, combined with the warm lighting and the interactions among the onlookers, creates a lively, almost cinematic portrayal of the event, emphasizing La Fargue’s skill in capturing both individual and collective aspects of the scene.

This work serves as an important historical record of The Hague in the 18th century.



Provenance: Den Haag / Londen, coll. Sir Joseph Yorke, 1st Baron Dover (1724-1792); Roehampton (Greater London), Grove House, coll. Sir Joshua Vanneck, 1st Baron Huntingfield (1745-1816), 1793; Wimpole Hall (Cambridgeshire) / Londen, coll. Philip Yorke, 3th Earl of Hardwicke (1757-1834); Wimpole Hall (Cambridgeshire) / Londen, coll. His nephew Charles Philip Yorke, 4th Earl of Hardwicke (1799-1873); Wimpole Hall (Cambridgeshire) / Londen, coll. His son Charles Philip Yorke, 5th Earl of Hardwicke (1836-1897); his auction Londen; (Christie’s), 30 juni 1888 (LUGT 47547), nr. 15 (‘J.E. LA FARGUE, 1762. PROSPECT OF THE BEGINNING OF THE VYVERBERG AND THE VOORHOUT AT THE HAGUE, with the cavalcade of His Excellency Sir J. Yorke, Ambassador of Great Britain in the Dutch Coach of State, 1761’; sold to Rutley;); Babraham Hall (Cambridgeshire), coll. Colonel Sir Robert Philip Wyndham Adeane(1905-1979); his auction Londen (Christie’s), 13 mei 1949, nr. 36 (‘JE. LA FARGUE. PROSPECT OF THE BEGINNING OF THE VYVERBERG AND THE VOORHOUT AT THE HAGUE, with the cavalcade of Sir Joseph Yorke,afterwards Baron Dover, Ambassador of Great Britain, in the Dutch Coach of State, 1761 ‒ Signed and dated 1762 ‒ on panel ‒ 26 in. by 42 in. [66 x 106,7 cm]’; sold to Newman); Londen, kunsthandel Rayner MacConnal, oktober 1949; Den Haag / Londen, coll. Mr. Edgar Frederik Marie Justin baron Michiels van Verduynen, heer van de Groote Lindt en van Verduynen (1885-1952); Wassenaar, coll. His widow Henriëtte Elisabeth barones Michiels van Verduynen-Jochems (1882-1968); Wassenaar, coll. Her son Frederik Willem Walter baron van Tuyll van Serooskerken (1911-1985; coll. his son.

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