Tour of Dutch group Portraits and the Willem Van Aelst still life show w/Dr. Denker

Please meet in the Rotunda of the West Building of the NGA.


Group Portraits of Amsterdam

Two large-scale group portraits from the Dutch Golden Age, on long-term loan from the Rijksmuseum and the Amsterdam Museum, provide an extraordinary opportunity for visitors to enjoy a type of Dutch painting rarely seen outside the Netherlands. In these imposing works, two of Amsterdam's most important portraitists from the mid-17th century, Govert Flinck (1615–1660) and Bartholomeus van der Helst (1613–1670), have immortalized the civic pride of the men who governed the Kloveniersdoelen, the building where one of Amsterdam's three militia companies held its meetings. The two works, both titled Governors of the Kloveniersdoelen, were painted 13 years apart. Flinck (in 1642) and Van der Helst (in 1655) created comparable yet distinct interpretations of the shared sense of duty and personal interactions of two different generations of governors.

The exhibition is on view in the National Gallery's West Building, 7th Street Lobby

Elegance and Refinement: The Still-Life Paintings of Willem van Aelst
  

Few artists were more skilled than Willem van Aelst (1627–1683) at depicting luscious fruits, luxurious fabrics, and spoils of the hunt. His renowned still lifes are remarkable for their fine finish, carefully balanced composition, jewel-toned palette, and elegant subject matter. Bringing together 28 of these sumptuous paintings and his only known drawing, this exhibition—the first devoted solely to this artist—celebrates the most technically brilliant Dutch still-life painter of his time. It is also accompanied by the first comprehensive publication on his work.

About Eric Denker:

Eric Denker is a Senior Lecturer in the Education Department of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Art History at Georgetown University. Eric's major area of interest is Italian art, specifically Venetian art. With a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Virginia, Eric also lectures regularly at area museums, including the Smithsonian art museums. 


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