Let me take you on a tour of the Gallery of Honor. This is a gorgeous section in the center of the Rijksmuseum is dedicated to the great 17th Century Dutch Masters.
What a treat to see so many 17th century Dutch masters all in one area. Speaking of treat let's start with my favorite painting in the collection.
Still Life with Cheese
Floris van Dijck
Still Life With Cheese, 1615
The detail is incredible! Let's start with the plate with the apple on it. Wow! The reflection of the apple in that metal plate that looks like it is going to fall off the table is incredible.
Floris van Dyck was born in Delft, Netherlands in 1575 and died in Haarlem, Netherlands in 1651. Still life paintings are one of my favorite genres and Floris is indeed a master!
Let's look at the pewter and glass with water in it. In addition to all the food the ability to paint the details of the serving utensils is extraordinary.
Portrait of a Girl Dressed in Blue
Johannes Verspronck
Girl in Blue, 1641
This painting of a young girl was painted by Johannes Verspronck. He was born in 1600 and died 1662 in Haarlem, Netherlands.
The identity of the young girls is unknown. She is certainly from a wealthy family with the blue dress, lace, pearls and gold broch she is wearing. Most portraits of the time were of adults and it is interesting to see a young girl dressed in blue on the wall next to this lady in all black.
Here is a map of the Rijksmuseum. For this tour we are looking at paintings in the Gallery of Honor by the Dutch masters.
The Merry Family
The Merry family was painted by Jan Steen. He was born (1626) and died (1679) in Leiden, Netherlands. He painted many scenes like his of family life. In this painting you can almost hear the chaos. The instruments playing, the people talking, the dog barking, the children playing. For me it is too much. It was a sensory overload and I moved on quickly.
Jan Steen
Merry Family, 1668
Windmill at Wijk bij Durrstede
Jacob van Ruisdael
Windmill at Wijk bij Duurstede, 1668
On the other hand I really enjoyed this landscape. The quite of the ladies walking by the windmill calms me.
Ruisdael's command of light is beautiful. The light and dark clouds and the light shining on the windmill and house at just the right angel. Ruisdael was born in 1628 in Haarlem and died in 1682 in Amsterdam.
A look at the Gallery of Honor. The architecture is a work of art.
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When you think of Dutch masters you most likely think of Vermeer. Today we are looking at two of his paintings, there are 4 in the gallery of honor.
Milkmaid
Johannes Veermeer is known for his portraits of people doing the tasks of everyday life. Here the maid is poring milk in a room with a bare wall and window to the side. Vermeer's understanding and use of light is subtle and makes a huge difference on how we see his paintings.
Johannes Vermeer
Milkmaid, 1660
There was often a crowd at this painting.
The Little Street
This was my first time seeing this painting. It is wonderful. One of the things that I really like about Vermeer is the quiet and calm I feel when looking at his paintings. The old lady sits in the door way as the children play next to her. The details on the house and brick are even cracking.
Johannes Vermeer was born in 1632 and died in 1675 in Delft, Netherlands. He painted The Little street in 1658.
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If you would like to learn more about the Rijksmuseum I did a post Art Talk: Rijksmuseum and Gothic Architecture
River Landscape
On the whole this is a great painting by Cuyp. What makes it even more special to me is the details and how parts of the paintings could be separate paintings in themselves. It reminds me a lot of the The Hudson River group's large landscapes and interesting scenes. For more about the Hudson River Group see my post from 2020 Art Talk: NGA Hudson River School Tour.
Aelbert Cuyp comes from a family of painters and is known for his landscape paintings with beautiful light. He was born in 1620 and died in 1691 in Dordrecht, Netherlands.
Aelbert Cuyp
River Landscape, 1652-1657
The Threatened Swan
This is quite a painting! It shows a swan protecting eggs from the dog in the bottom left corner. It became the symbol of the Dutch National Resistance. It is also the first painting that the Rijksmuseum aquired! Asselijn was born in 1610 in Dieppe, France and died in 1652 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Rembrandt did an etching of him in 1647.
Speaking of Rembrandt we will be ending with two Rembrandt paintings.
Jan Asselijn
The Threatened Swan, 1650
Marten and Oopjen
This very wealthy couple is painted in full length by Rembrandt in 1634. The most amazing part of the painting is the detail of the clothing and accessories! Look at those shoes. I also like seeing what was in fashion 400 years ago. Lots of lace.
Jewish Bride
Rembrandt did both Biblical themes and portraits. The Jewish Bride is thought to be a combination, a couple that wanted their portrait and it is called Isaac and Rebecca or the Jewish Bride. Rembrandt was born in 1606 in Leiden and died in 1669 in Amsterdam. He is arguably the most famous Dutch painter of the Golden Age. In this painting we see very thick paint much like Van Gogh many years later.
Rembrandt van Rijn
Jewish Bride, 1665-1669
In comparing the hands you might not think they were done by the same artist. That is one really great thing about seeing paintings over the span of an artist career. You can see how they change and develop and work in new and interesting ways.
1634
1665
I hope you have enjoyed this look at ten of the Dutch Masters in the Gallery of Honor in the Rijksmusuem.
Sources:
Floris van Dyck
Johannes Verspronck
Girl in Dressed in blue
Jan Steen
Jacob van Ruisdael
Johannes Vermeer
Aelbert Cuyp
Jan Asselijn
Rembrandt van Rijn
Art Talk Series Highlights
2022
Theme: Artists
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Art Talk: Etel Adnan
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Other
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