This chapter will retrace the footsteps of Samuel Van Hoogstraten's grand tour, considering his travels through Central Europe and Italy, which ultimately inspired his extended stay in England. Although Van Hoogstraten initially sold trompe-l’oeil paintings to his British patrons – harking back to his career in Vienna and Dordrecht – he soon chose to focus on an entirely new theme, namely, architectural scenes. We shall explore how these scenes were related to his travels. They are oriented towards Mediterranean examples; however, they do not depict the actual buildings that Van Hoogstraten saw.

The artist adapted his works in accordance with his patrons’ tastes in two ways. The hybrid conception of his architectural scenes, which are neither Dutch nor Italian, offered a clear alternative to the predominant Palladianism in Britain, propagated by Inigo Jones. Furthermore, by including iconographical references to the Temple of Solomon, the artist may have wished to pay tribute to his patrons’ political stances and the attitude of religious reconciliation favored by Charles II.

Van Hoogstraten's trompe-l’oeils

A large work made by Van Hoogstraten in England has been preserved in its original setting [Fig. 61]. This work is such a strong invitation to reflect on the possibilities of optical deceit that it still inspires the imagination of photographers today. In one such photograph, open doors invite us to look into a seemingly unending corridor. In the foreground on the right, a birdcage rests on a table; a second cage hangs from a vault, just above a dog curiously watching the beholder. A cat likewise gazes at us near the door that leads into the adjoining room; this animal apparently belongs to a more intimate sphere of the house. Meanwhile, two men and a woman sitting at a table are absorbed in conversation, drinking wine and playing cards – the five of spades lies on the floor. One other person is watching through the window. The modern photograph contains small joke – the photographer has framed a view of the actual painting with an enfilade of real architecture, and likewise has placed a real bird in front of the work: the beholder of the photograph is meant to be confused as to whether it is real or part of the painting.