High Art of the Low Countries: Boom and Bust

Here's the highlights of what art to see from the second episode in 'High Art of the Low Countries: Boom & Bust' (see my post about Part 1: Dreams of Plenty) I feel a trip around the Netherlands is in order, taking in The Hague, Amsterdam, Haarlem and Utrecht to see so many highlights of the Dutch Golden Age of Painting. As well as a re-visit to the National Gallery to see old new works in a new light.

 

 

Religious icons with faces removed in the reformation iconoclasm of the 16th century at Utrecht Cathedral

 

St. Cunerakerk, Rhenen by Pieter Jansz Saenredam in Mauritshuis, The Hague (must also see his work in the National Gallery, London)

"He painted unadorned architecture......the void itself."

 

The Laughing Cavalier by Frans Hals in the Wallace Collection, London

Banquet of the Officers of the St George Civic Guard by Frans Hals along with reconstructed banquet table! at the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem

  & Regentesses of the Old Men's Almshouse at the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem

 

I wonder how many takes it took to get this segment of Andrew Graham-Dixon talking and bicycling at the same time? (would have taken me hundreds, actually I probably would've fallen off long before I got it right)

 The Avenue at Middelharnis by Meindert Hobbema in the National Gallery, London.

 

 

 Ice Scene by Hendrick Averkamp in in Mauritshuis, The Hague

 

The Young Bull by Paulus Potter in Mauritshuis, The Hague

Still life with Gilt Cup by Willem Claesz Heda in the (newly re-opened, after 10 yrs of refurbishment!) Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

 

The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp by Rembrandt in Mauritshuis, The Hague 

 

The Nightwatch by Rembrandt in the  Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

 Self Portraits by Rembrandt including some at the National Gallery, London

  Dance of the Tapuias by Albert Eckhout in the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen

View of Olinda, Brazil by Frans Post in the  Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

 

The Merry Family by Jan Stein in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

 

The Milkmaid and Woman in Blue reading a Letter by Vermeer in the  Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

and the famous Girl with a pearl earring in Mauritshuis, The Hague 

and the most beautiful painting in the world? (according to Marcel Proust, at least!) View of Delft by Vermeer in Mauritshuis, The Hague...

& must see this big blockbuster of an exhibition of his work Vermeer & Music: The Art of Love & Leisure at the National Gallery, London this summer!

What Dutch art do you want to see?

Up next? Last in the series: Daydreams & Nightmares

See also my posts about Part 3: Daydreams & Nightmares

{all images via the episode on BBCiplayer}