3. Meeting Dutch painting in the Hermitage

Dutch painting, everyday genre

State Hermitage Museum has one of the world's largest collections of Dutch paintings. Its first exhibits appeared on the banks of the Neva in 1716, long before the museum was founded. This year, Osip Solovyov purchased one hundred and twenty-one paintings for Peter I in Holland, and after that Yuri Kologrivov bought another one hundred and seventeen paintings in Brussels and Antwerp. Somewhat later, one hundred and nineteen works were added to this collection, sent to the king by the English merchants Zwan and Elsey. Dutch paintings, along with Flemish ones, predominated here: according to the biographer of Peter I, Yakov Shtelin, the tsar’s favorite artists were Rubens, van Dyck, Rembrandt, Steen, Wouwerman, Bruegel, van der Werf and van Ostade, and his favorite subjects were scenes from life “ Dutch men and women." This commitment to everything Dutch should not be seen as just a manifestation of the personal taste of “Skipper Peter,” as Peter was called during his stay in Holland. Dutch burgher democracy, which found clear expression in national painting, was especially close to the nature of democratic transformations in Russia at that time in the field of culture and life. But, of course, not only artistic interest was aroused in the Russian viewer by the paintings of Dutch painters. The works of such masters as the Tsar’s favorite marine painter, Adam Silo, primarily satisfied the educational interest of the young Russian nation, entering the sea. Peter's collection of the Dutch already included such masterpieces as Rembrandt's "David and Jonathan" - the first work of the brilliant painter to come to Russia.

In the second half of the 18th century, many significant works of Dutch painting migrated to St. Petersburg. As part of the collection of G. Brühl, acquired in Dresden (in 1769), the Hermitage received four portraits by Rembrandt, four landscapes by J. Ruisdael, paintings by G. Terborch, F. Miris, A. van Ostade, A. Wouwerman and others. The Crozat collection in Paris, which arrived in 1772, brought to the museum such Rembrandt masterpieces as Danaë and The Holy Family.

The Hermitage collection of the Dutch was further enriched by the collections of Baudouin (Paris), Walpole (England) and the first wife of Napoleon I, Empress Josephine, acquired for the Hermitage in late XVIII- beginning of the 19th century. The Hermitage was then able to include in its exhibition “The Sacrifice of Abraham”, “The Descent from the Cross” and a dozen other canvases by Rembrandt, works by the fashionable XVIII century G. Doe, three best paintings P. Potter (among them the master’s masterpiece - “The Farm”), “A Glass of Lemonade” by G. Terborch, “Breakfast” by G. Metsu, two amazingly delicately executed floral still lifes by J. van Huysum and many other equally significant works.

An entertaining plot, small size and relatively low prices made Dutch paintings accessible to a large circle of Russian collectors. They were acquired not only by members of the reigning house and the highest St. Petersburg nobility, but also by representatives of more democratic circles of the population. These collections will subsequently become the main source of replenishment of the Hermitage collection. Thus, in 1915, the museum received a huge collection of “little Dutchmen” acquired back in 1910 by the famous Russian scientist and traveler P. P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, who collected seven hundred and nineteen paintings by three hundred and forty authors. With this collection, one hundred and ninety new names appeared in the museum's catalogue. Thus, if earlier the Dutch collection of the Hermitage stood out among other museums in the world in terms of the number of masterpieces, now it has taken one of the first places in the number of names represented in it, including the rarest ones.

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Dutch painting in the collection of the Pavlovsk Palace represents one of its main components and occupies a significant place both in composition and quality paintings. The collection includes more than 80 works.

A special feature of the collection is that landscape is represented better than other genres, and the so-called “Italianizing” landscape. This trend arose and was developed thanks to Dutch artists who visited Italy. Pictures of the bright, lush nature of the southern country served as an impetus for the creation of works completely different from the “national” landscape. An example of the initial stage of development of the “Italianizing” landscape, called “Arcadian”, is the painting by B. Brenberg “Tobius and the Angel”. Bartholomeus Brenberg (1599/1600-1657) and the masters around him, working in Italy in the 1620s, created pictures of a conventional Italian landscape, always populating it with mythological or biblical characters. The Italianizing landscape genre reached its peak in the mid-17th century in the work of Jan Both (1610-1652). Pavlovsk has two signature works of this master - the paintings “Italian Landscape” and “View of Ponte Lucano near Rome”. The artist not only reproduces with the greatest authenticity specific corners of the Italian landscape, but also strives to convey the state of a certain time of day with its characteristic sunlight. A younger contemporary of J. Both was Adrian van Emont (c.1627-1662), who owns the “Southern Landscape”, characterized by the effect of solar lighting: the golden glow of the setting sun creates a charming picture of a quiet Italian evening.

In Dutch art, images of country estates and parks have become fashionable since the mid-17th century. This is the “Park Landscape” by Frederic de Moucheron (1633-1686), where in the background stone wall ladies and gentlemen sat with decorative vases. Moucheron's son, Isaac Moucheron, also specialized in the genre of park landscapes, and was somewhat inferior to his father in painting skills. The museum's collection includes three of his park landscapes.

Characteristic feature Dutch art is the narrow specialization of masters in one genre or another. Among the “Italian” landscape painters were artists who preferred to paint southern harbors, such as Thomas Wake (c. 1616-1677). His “Italian Harbor” in the museum’s collection amazes with the brightness of its colors and the ease of its depiction of a crowded crowd on the embankment. Another master, Karel Dujardin (c. 1622-1678), preferred the image of shepherds and shepherdesses with cattle at a watering hole - “Waterhole”. In the later period of development of the Italianizing landscape, at the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries, masters began to develop a desire for composed landscapes. These are endless “southern harbors” with invented architecture of piers, with magnificent sailing ships and colorful staff, or “Italian landscapes” with the obligatory fragments of ancient antiquities. “Landscape with a Fountain” and “Sea Harbor” by Jan Griffir the Elder (1645-1718) belong to this type of work. They are beautifully executed and feature expressive decorative effects.

In the second half of the 17th century, Dutch masters reached great success in the development of the urban landscape genre. One of outstanding masters The person who worked there was Gerrit Adriens Berkheide (1638-1698). “Horse Fair” in the museum’s collection is signed and dated 1682, i.e. refers to the mature period of his work. The street reproduced in the picture is so typical of Holland that it is hardly possible to talk about a specific location. For the majority Dutch masters, who worked in the genre of urban landscape, are characterized by concreteness of the image. The author of "Market Square" Ludolf de Jong (1616-1679) depicted ordinary urban development, but placed on the left the statue of Erasmus of Rotterdam, installed on the Great Market Square in Rotterdam in 1622. From the few samples Dutch still life In the museum's collection, two paired paintings by Otto Marceus van Scrieck (1620-1678) should be noted - “Snake Attacking a Lizard” and “Snake Attacking a Gopher.” They represent a unique type of still life that took place, perhaps, only in German art- this is an image of insects and reptiles in their natural environment. In relation to such works, the concept is not “dead nature” ( nature morte), A " quiet life"(stil liven). Van Skriek's contemporaries testify that the artist had his own nursery near Amsterdam with various living creatures, where he observed the life of animals.

Significantly weaker compared to landscape painting, the Dutch genre and so-called history painting. The first includes the painting “The Smoker,” which is attributed to Willem Cornelis Deuster (c. 1599-1635). Intermediate position between portrait and genre painting occupied by the painting “Boy with a Bird”, executed in the 1630s by one of Rembrandt’s prominent students, Jacob Adriens Bakker (1608-1651). The child's lush hair is decorated with a string of pearls, and his ears are decorated with earrings. The “pure” portrait includes a work attributed to Cornelis van Wort (1576-1624). The generational image of a young man in modest dark clothes with a fluffy frilled collar is characteristic of the early stage of development portrait genre in Holland. Thanks to the inscription in the upper right corner of the painting, it is known that the portrait was painted in 1622. The main requirement that was presented to the artist at this time was utmost authenticity. Therefore, the main attention was paid to the individual characteristics of the face, which was depicted truthfully without embellishment. A unique work of Dutch historical genre is the painting “St. Francis Xavier among the Sick” by Jan de Bray (1627-1697). The painting depicts a real historical figure - Francis Xavier, who lived in the first half of the 16th century and was the closest ally of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. Behind missionary activity in India and Far East he was canonized in 1622. According to legend, the saint had the gift of healing.

Holland. 17th century The country is experiencing unprecedented prosperity. The so-called "Golden Age". At the end of the 16th century, several provinces of the country achieved independence from Spain.

Now the Protestant Netherlands have gone their own way. And Catholic Flanders (present-day Belgium) under the wing of Spain is its own.

In independent Holland, almost no one needed religious painting. The Protestant Church did not approve of luxury decoration. But this circumstance “played into the hands” of secular painting.

Literally every resident of the new country awoke to love this type of art. The Dutch wanted to see in the paintings own life. And the artists willingly met them halfway.

Never before has the surrounding reality been depicted so much. Ordinary people, ordinary rooms and the most ordinary breakfast of a city dweller.

Realism flourished. Until the 20th century, it will be a worthy competitor to academicism with its nymphs and Greek goddesses.

These artists are called "small" Dutch. Why? The paintings were small in size, because they were created for small houses. Thus, almost all of Jan Vermeer’s paintings are no more than half a meter in height.

But I like the other version better. Lived and worked in the Netherlands in the 17th century Great master, the “big” Dutchman. And everyone else was “small” in comparison with him.

We are talking, of course, about Rembrandt. Let's start with him.

1. Rembrandt (1606-1669)

Rembrandt experienced a wide range of emotions during his life. Therefore in his early works so much fun and bravado. And there are so many complex feelings - in the later ones.

Here he is young and carefree in the picture “ Prodigal son in the tavern." On his knees is his beloved wife Saskia. He is a popular artist. Orders are pouring in.

But all this will disappear in about 10 years. Saskia will die of consumption. Popularity will disappear like smoke. Big house With unique collection they will take you for debts.

But the same Rembrandt will appear who will remain for centuries. The bare feelings of the heroes. Their deepest thoughts.

2. Frans Hals (1583-1666)

Frans Hals is one of the greatest portrait painters of all times. Therefore, I would also classify him as a “big” Dutchman.

In Holland at that time it was customary to order group portraits. This is how many similar works appeared depicting people working together: marksmen of one guild, doctors of one town, managers of a nursing home.

In this genre, Hals stands out the most. After all, most of these portraits looked like a deck of cards. People sit at the table with the same facial expression and just watch. With Hals it was different.

Look at his group portrait “Arrows of the Guild of St. George."

Here you will not find a single repetition in pose or facial expression. At the same time, there is no chaos here. There are a lot of characters, but no one seems superfluous. Thanks to the amazingly correct arrangement of figures.

And even in a single portrait, Hals was superior to many artists. His patterns are natural. People from high society in his paintings are devoid of contrived grandeur, and models from the lower classes do not look humiliated.

And his characters are also very emotional: they smile, laugh, and gesticulate. Like, for example, this “Gypsy” with a sly look.

Hals, like Rembrandt, ended his life in poverty. For the same reason. His realism ran counter to the tastes of his customers. Who wanted their appearance to be embellished. Hals did not accept outright flattery, and thereby signed his own sentence - “Oblivion.”

3. Gerard Terborch (1617-1681)

Terborkh was a master of the everyday genre. Rich and not-so-rich burghers talk leisurely, ladies read letters, and a procuress watches the courtship. Two or three closely spaced figures.

It was this master who developed the canons of the everyday genre. Which would later be borrowed by Jan Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch and many other “small” Dutchmen.

“A Glass of Lemonade” is one of famous works Terborha. It shows another advantage of the artist. Incredibly realistic image of the dress fabric.

Terborch also has unusual works. Which speaks to his desire to go beyond customer requirements.

His "The Grinder" shows the life of the poorest people in Holland. We are used to seeing cozy courtyards and clean rooms in the paintings of the “small” Dutch. But Terborch dared to show unsightly Holland.

As you understand, such work was not in demand. And they are a rare occurrence even among Terborch.

4. Jan Vermeer (1632-1675)

It is not known for certain what Jan Vermeer looked like. It is only obvious that in the painting “The Artist’s Workshop” he depicted himself. The truth from the back.

It is therefore surprising that it has recently become known new fact from the life of a master. It is connected with his masterpiece “Delft Street”.

It turned out that Vermeer spent his childhood on this street. The house pictured belonged to his aunt. She raised her five children there. Perhaps she is sitting on the doorstep sewing while her two children play on the sidewalk. Vermeer himself lived in the house opposite.

But more often he depicted the interior of these houses and their inhabitants. It would seem that the plots of the paintings are very simple. Here is a pretty lady, a wealthy city dweller, checking the operation of her scales.

Why did Vermeer stand out among thousands of other “small” Dutchmen?

He was an unsurpassed master of light. In the painting “Woman with Scales” the light softly envelops the heroine’s face, fabrics and walls. Giving the image an unknown spirituality.

And the compositions of Vermeer’s paintings are carefully verified. You won't find a single unnecessary detail. It is enough to remove one of them, the picture will “fall apart”, and the magic will go away.

All this was not easy for Vermeer. Such amazing quality required painstaking work. Only 2-3 paintings per year. As a result, the inability to feed the family. Vermeer also worked as an art dealer, selling works by other artists.

5. Pieter de Hooch (1629-1884)

Hoch is often compared to Vermeer. They worked at the same time, there was even a period in the same city. And in one genre - everyday. In Hoch we also see one or two figures in cozy Dutch courtyards or rooms.

Open doors and the windows make the space of his paintings multi-layered and entertaining. And the figures fit into this space very harmoniously. As, for example, in his painting “Maid with a Girl in the Courtyard.”

Pieter de Hooch. A maid with a girl in the courtyard. 1658 London National Gallery

Until the 20th century, Hoch was highly valued. But few people noticed the small works of his competitor Vermeer.

But in the 20th century everything changed. Hoch's glory faded. However, it is difficult not to recognize his achievements in painting. Few people could so competently combine the environment and people.

Please note that in a modest house on the canvas “Card Players” there is a painting hanging in an expensive frame.

This once again shows how among ordinary Dutch painting was popular. Paintings decorated every home: the house of a rich burgher, a modest city dweller, and even a peasant.

6. Jan Steen (1626-1679)

Jan Steen is perhaps the most cheerful “little” Dutchman. But loving moral teaching. He often depicted taverns or poor houses in which vice existed.

Its main characters are revelers and ladies of easy virtue. He wanted to entertain the viewer, but latently warn him against a vicious life.

Sten also has quieter works. Like, for example, “Morning Toilet.” But here too the artist surprises the viewer with too revealing details. There are traces of stocking elastic, and not an empty chamber pot. And somehow it’s not at all appropriate for the dog to be lying right on the pillow.

But despite all the frivolity, Sten’s color schemes are very professional. In this he was superior to many “little Dutchmen”. Look how perfectly the red stocking goes with the blue jacket and bright beige rug.

7. Jacobs Van Ruisdael (1629-1882)

Dutch art of the 17th century is special time in all world painting. This is the same time that is called the Golden Age of Dutch painting. The 17th century is amazing and very rich in names. At this time, the most brilliant painters were born and created, who are still considered the most unsurpassed masters. Special takeoff more artistic thought, the birth of masterpieces of world significance. can introduce you to this time in as much detail as possible. The fact is that the Hermitage houses the most large collection Dutch painting and art of the 17th century. You will not be able to find such a meeting as here in the center of St. Petersburg anywhere else. Here you can see works by such artists as: Nicholas Mas, Caspar Netscher, Philips Wauwerman, Constantijn Netscher, Salomon Koninck, Jan de Bray, Jacob Bakker and many others.

The art of that time had the most different genres, ranging from portraits and battle scenes to everyday genre and mythological themes. However, all these paintings are connected by a special vision of the world Dutch artist, a special sense of the beauty of painting. The canvases that you can see in the halls of the Hermitage contain absolutely fabulous realism, there is no other way to say it. This is realism, which is so realistic and at the same time fantastic that it seems to be a fairy tale in which the artist existed. Truthful, convincing and bright images, spirituality, expressiveness, rich and contrasting colors - all these are characteristic features of the great artists of that time.