Painting of the Dutch Golden Age at the Maurithuis

The Dutch Golden Age at The Maurithuis, The Hague.

Roughly spanning the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age was a period in Dutch history in which trade, science and art were the most acclaimed in the world. Golden Age painting followed many of the tendencies that dominated Baroque art in other parts of Europe, but was the leader in developing the subjects of still life, landscape and genre painting. This trend, coupled with the lack of Counter-Reformation church patronage that dominated the arts in Catholic Europe, resulted in a great number of  'scenes of everyday life' and other non-secular pictures.

There may be no other country in which, in the brief span of a hundred years, so many paintings were executed as during the 17th century in Holland: no less than 5 million paintings were created. After the connection of art with courts, monasteries and religious associations had waned, the urban upper class had discovered that paintings were a symbol of power, objects to be collected avidly.

Gerard Houckgeest, Ambulatory of the Niewe Kerk in Delft, with the Tomb of William the Silent, 1651

 

 

William van de Velde II, Ships in the Roads, 1658

Pieter van Anraadt, Still Life with Earthenware Jug and Clay Pipes, 1658

Salomon van Ruysdael, View of Sailing Boats on a Lake, 1650-51

 

 

 

Judith Leyster, Man Offering Money to a Young Woman, 1631

This is an early work by Leyster who was 22 years old when she painted it. It's a genre painting but it's completely different to other contemporary Dutch 'sexual proposition' paintings. The convention for the genre was for the characters to be bawdy, both clearly interested in sex for money. The woman's dress would be provocative, the facial expressions suggestive and sometimes there would be a third figure of an older woman acting as a procuress. In contrast, in this painting the woman is an ordinary housewife, engaged in a simple everyday chore. She is not dressed provocatively and she displays no interest in sex or the man. Kirstin Olsen observed that male art critics 'so completely missed the point' that the woman is, in contrast to other works, not welcoming the man's proposition that they mistakenly named the painting The Tempting Offer.

The foot warmer, whose glowing coals are visible beneath the hem of her skirt was a pictorial code of the time, and represented the woman's marital status. A foot warmer wholly under the skirt indicated a married woman who was unavailable; a foot warmer projecting halfway out from under the skirt with the woman's foot visible on it indicated one who might be receptive to a male suitor, and a foot warmer that is not under the woman at all, and empty of coals, indicated a single woman. This code can also be seen in Vermeer's The Milkmaid. (source Wikipedia)

Gerard Houckgeest, The Tomb of William the Silent in the Niewe Kerk in Delft, 1654

Gerrit Dou, The Young Mother, 1658

 

 

 

 
Jan van der Heyden, View of Oudezijds Voorburgwal with the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, 1670

Nicolaes Maes, The Old Lacemaker, 1655

George van der Mijn, Portrait of Elisabeth Troost, 1758

Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin, Still Life with Copper Pot, Cheese and Eggs, 1730-35

Jan Steen, Girl Eating Oysters, 1658-60

 

 

Pieter Saenredam, The Mariaplaats with the Mariakerk in Utrecht, 1659

Pieter Saenredam, The Interior of the Cunerakerk in Rhenen, 1655

Johannes Vermeer, Diana and her Nymphs,1653-54

Walter Liedtke has pointed out how the painting 'shows the artist already addressing his usual theme, women in private moments and the complications of desire' as well as 'the ability to sympathetically describe the private lives of women'. He notes that it's 'remarkable for its tenderness and sincerity'.

 

 

 

Gerard ter Borch, Woman Writing a Letter, 1655

 

 

 

 

Gerard ter Borch, Hunting for Lice

 

 

 

Paulus Potter, The Bull, 1647

 

This is one of the most famous paintings in the Maurithuis. Painting a bull on such a grand scale had never been done before. Despite the painting's large size, great attention has been paid to the smallest details, such as the lark in the sky, the sunshine on the meadow, the flies on the bull's back and the cow's whiskers. This made the painting the epitome of Dutch naturalistic painting.

Adriaen Coorte, Still Life with Five Apricots, 1704

 

 

 

 

Painting before 1630 - the Maurithuis

The Maurithuis, The Hague - painting before 1630.

Paintings before 1630 are on the first floor of the museum. I have selected a few - the Still Life by Clara Peeters was by far my favourite, it's stunning.

Hans Holbein II, Portrait of Jane Seymour, 1540

 

 

Bartholomaus Bruyn, Portrait of Elisabeth Bellinghausen, 1538-39

Hans Holbein II, Portrait of a Woman from Southern Germany, 1520-25

 

 

 

 

 

Clara Peeters, Still Life with Cheeses, Almonds and Pretzels, 1615

 

A pewter plate with crumbly cheeses;  an earthenware plate with curls of butter; figs, almonds and raisins in a blue and white porcelain dish; a Venetian glass; an earthenware jug; pretzels; a knife -  a banquet scene painted with loose brushstrokes, a sign of great technical mastery. The great attention to detail is evidenced by the hole made with a cheese scoop in the large wedge of cheese by the inspector to evaluate the centre of the cheese. The silver bridal knife is decorated with figures representing the virtues of Faith and Moderation and two intertwined hands. Clare Peeters placed her signature on this knife. There is a second signature in the form of the reflection of a woman's face with a white cap (a self-portrait) on the pewter lid of the earthenware jug.

 

Clare Peeters was one of the rare Flemish 17th century female painters. Probably born in Antwerp, her dates of birth and death vary according to sources. Only her still-lifes are known.

 

 

 

Jan Gossaet, Madonna and Child, 1520

 

 

 

The Maurithuis

The Maurithuis, The Hague.

Set on Hovfijver Lake and beside the Dutch Parliament building and completed in 1644, the building is considered among the finest examples of Dutch classical architecture.

When we visited, the refurbishment, designed by Dutch architect Hans van Heeswijk had been completed. The renovation has doubled the size of the museum without spoiling any of its character and allure.

The entrance is now through the building's forecourt: you head down a glass and steel staircase

where a little surprise awaits you: little windows on the wall

 

give glimpses of the canal

 

 



that is adjacent to the museum

 

and then you finally reach a spacious underground lobby that contains the ticket desks, shop 

 

 

 

and the cloakroom lockers

 

a wonderful display of tulips on the ticket desk

 

 

 

 

this is Holland, after all.

 

 

 

The changes to the museum are important but peripheral. Once we left the modern extension nothing much has changed in the main building where all the galleries are.

The modestly sized rooms of this former palace are the perfect setting for the Maurithuis' wonderful collection of the Dutch Golden Age paintings. The size of the museum is one of its attractions: only about 250 paintings are on display, just right for half a day of highly enjoyable browsing, with no risk of cultural overload. The collection is a gem: 'The Maurithuis has perhaps the highest masterpiece quotient of any gallery in the world. But it's the total experience of these works in the building and the setting that is the essence of the place. The integrity of that experience hasn't been tampered with, and for that we must be grateful', says Mark Hudson in the Telegraph.

 

 

Paintings hang all around the grand staircase

 

and the abstract mural on the ceiling is a pleasant surprise

 

 

 

the glass box of the lift is the only new addition to the original building.

 

I originally wanted to go because I wanted to see Girl with Pearl Earring, View of Delft and The Goldfinch, but there are so many masterpieces in this small museum, that the whole experience is a real treat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Hague

 

While we were in Amsterdam in June we took the train one day and went to The Hague. We had been once before but this time we had a specific purpose, namely to visit the revamped Maurithuis museum.

 

 

 



we reached this main street after a two-minute walk from the station

 

I liked the sculpture on top of this building - very unusual

 



 

We reached the Maurithuis in no time

 

 

After visiting the museum we had lunch in one of the outdoor cafes in this large, spacious square

 

the square is overlooked by these modernist buildings.

 

Next to the Maurithuis is this arch which is the entrance to the Binnenhof, a complex of buildings next to the Hofvijver lake. It houses the meeting place of both houses of the States General of the Netherlands, as well as the Ministry of General Affairs and the office of the Prime Minister.

 

 

 

 

lots of space, very few people, and lots of security - something we have not seen in Holland before

 

 

gorgeous tower

 

 

 

 

Built primarily in the 13th century, the Gothic castle originally functioned as residence of the counts of Holland and became the political centre of the Dutch Republic in 1584. It is counted among the top 100 Dutch heritage sites. The Binnenhof is the oldest House of Parliament in the world still in use.

 

 



 

 

 

 

The Ridderzaal, the Hall of Knights, which is used for the state opening of Parliament.

 

Wonderful vaulted ceiling

Through another arch, and we moved on to the Buitenhof, another square. This square originated in the 13th century during the construction of the Binnenhof. It was filled with houses and stables and at one point, it even had a zoo.

Right outside the Buitenhof is this intriguing sculpture - we could not find out anything about it

 

 

 



Hofvijver lake

 

We then retraced our steps



 

 

 

 

On our way to the station we came upon this building

 

 

 

 

 



and had to go in to have a look at the passage

 

 

 



 

A wonderful Art Nouveau building which houses a restaurant was near the station.


And then it was time to go back to Amsterdam. We boarded the train which was quite crowded this time as it was the rush hour. We chatted quietly, pointing things out and talking about the day we'd had. At one point the passenger behind us, got out of his seat came up to us, and indicated a sign that we had failed to notice. This was a silent train: not a quiet train like you get in the UK where no mobile phones etc. are allowed, but a silent train - no talking allowed whatsoever. We were mortified for having failed to see the sign, but how civilised is that? I wish we had those in the U.K.