Pieter Saenredam

Pieter Saenredam

Painting
The indoor and outdoor churches painted by the Dutch Pieter Jansz Saenredam (1597-1665) unveil a certain amount of mystery and a refined special touch and that's the reason they have always been so much captivating over time and for so many painters like Vilhelm Hammershoi or Fernando Zobel. The Saenredam's churches are so different as there is no evident sign of faith, no “grandeur” at all. The characters almost never pray, they just walk along the aisle, visit the chapels, just as they were in a cabinet of curiosities. A touch of austere piety given by the use of colour so measured, so accurate, the rest is just architecture, space and light.
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Marie-Denise Villers

Marie-Denise Villers

Painting
It seems that everything had conspired to erase the name Marie-Denise Villers (1774-1821), so that she would fall into oblivion: obviously she was a woman painter, just a few of her works have been recovered. She had two sisters who were painters too. All those circumstances have contributed to the scholars’ confusion. Furthermore, for a while, her best-known work was awarded to the painter Jacques-Louis David. ‘Young woman painting’ is an iconic picture. Some refer to it as a self-portrait while other people understand it is really a picture of Charlotte du Val. I know nothing about the path of that portrait, a road leading to the New York Metropolitan Museum. I guess a philanthropist experienced both the charm and the mystery of that young girl who is watching us,…
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Gerrit Dou

Gerrit Dou

Painting
To each his own style. The great Dutch master Gerrit Dou (1613-1675) was fond of the strictest order and cleanliness. He was capable of repeating an entire painting if a little dust or dirt was attached to the canvas. We know that only a few volunteers wanted to pose for such a perfectionist painter, the work sessions were endless and exhausting (the painting of a single hand could last a week). I have meet people like him.  It is to Dou’s credit to have been the first pupil of an artist called Rembrandt. He also taught some outstanding painters such as Frans van Mieris and Gabriël Metsu. Within the Dutch school of painting, it seems difficult to find a painter who can compare to him, with his charm and quality.…
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