The Roman goddess Vesta was guardian of the hearth and keeper of the home. Her temple was attended by `Vestal Virgins?, pure young women who were said to represent the daughters of the early Roman kings, and who were charged with keeping Vesta?s sacred fire burning. Here, two Vestal Virgins tend the fire of the temple. This image was painted with great precision and finesse, and Verkolje took particular care over the classical details such as the ornate Corinthian columns around the doorway, and the small statue in the niche. Pictures of historical subjects like this are rare in Verkolje?s oeuvre.
Nicolaas Verkolje (Dutch, 1673 - 1746)
Nicolaas Verkolje was born in Delft and studied painting under his father Jan Verkolje. His father died when he was only twenty, but by then Nicolaas was almost fully trained. Like his father, he was an adaptable artist, proficient in painting portraits, genre scenes and mythological paintings, and was also a talented mezzotint artist. In 1700 Nicolaas moved to Amsterdam, where he remained until his death. There, the style of his work oscillated between pictures that were akin to the realistic style of seventeenth-century Dutch paintings, and those that were more attractive to eighteenth-century classical tastes. His pictures were highly sought after by collectors, and his popularity continued well into the eighteenth century.
