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Indepth Arts News:
"The Glory of the Golden Age"
2000-04-15 until 2000-07-15
Rijksmuseum
Amsterdam, ,
NL Netherlands
To mark its bicentenary, from 15 April 2000 the Rijksmuseum will
present a survey of Dutch art in the 17th century through a range of
masterpieces. On the upper floor of the museum two hundred
paintings, sculptures and works of decorative art will be displayed,
while in the galleries of the Print Room about one hundred drawings
and prints will be on view. For both parts of the exhibition the works
have been chosen with the greatest care in order to provide the
richest and most representative overview possible of the artistic
production of this period. All the leading artists of the age are
represented by at least one characteristic work; in the case of the
most eminent and versatile masters - such as Frans Hals,
Rembrandt, Ruisdael, Steen and Vermeer - several masterpieces
from the Rijksmuseum and other collections will be shown.
To mark its bicentenary, from 15 April 2000 the Rijksmuseum will
present a survey of Dutch art in the 17th century through a range of
masterpieces. On the upper floor of the museum two hundred
paintings, sculptures and works of decorative art will be displayed,
while in the galleries of the Print Room about one hundred drawings
and prints will be on view. For both parts of the exhibition the works
have been chosen with the greatest care in order to provide the
richest and most representative overview possible of the artistic
production of this period. All the leading artists of the age are
represented by at least one characteristic work; in the case of the
most eminent and versatile masters - such as Frans Hals,
Rembrandt, Ruisdael, Steen and Vermeer - several masterpieces
from the Rijksmuseum and other collections will be shown.
About half the works exhibited come from the Rijksmuseum, with the
Night Watch forming the centrepiece. The other half consist of special
loans, mainly from museums in other countries. The choice of loans
is intended to fill out and where necessary strengthen the picture of
17th-century art provided by the Rijksmuseum collections. In some
cases these are pivotal masterpieces which are missing from the
Rijksmuseum and which add to the view of the development of art in
the Golden Age. An effort has been made to find works that have not
been seen in the Netherlands for a long time, so that even for
frequent visitors to the museum the exhibition will offer numerous
surprises.
The exhibition starts in the Gallery of Honour and takes up a large part
of the painting galleries on the upper floor. The development of Dutch
art in the 17th century is followed more or less chronologically, with
Rembrandt's Night Watch of 1642 retaining its central position in the
Night Watch room. The exhibition is presented in 24 cabinets and
rooms, each showing a related group of works. On a broadly
chronological basis, there is a thematic arrangement by genre and
specialisation. Specific movements such as Mannerism,
Caravaggism and classicism are of course considered. Several
rooms are given over to the portrait, the still life, the landscape, the
genre scene and the history painting (biblical and mythological
subjects), and one room features the so-called Delft School.
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