Dutch Cityscapes Exhibition Premieres to U.S. Audiences at the National Gallery of Art

Jan van der Heyden (Dutch, 1637 - 1712), The Keizersgracht and the Westerkerk in Amsterdam, c. 1667-1670; oil on panel; overall: 54 x 63 cm (21 1/4 x 24 13/16 in.). Eijk and Rose-Marie van Otterloo

Dutch Cityscapes Exhibition Premieres to U.S. Audiences at the National Gallery of Art
February 1–May 3, 2009, Washington D.C.

The exhibition coincides with the 400th anniversary of the Dutch exploration and settlement of the Hudson River Valley. Henry Hudson 400 Year, Amsterdam - New York website: http://www.henryhudson400.com/home.php

(Note: Usually we do not use this blog for, Classical, Old Dutch or Flemish and Figuarative Art and Paintings but the other blog, Kunstjaar, Art news and Exhibitions, Realism and Figurative Paintins http://kunstjaar.wordpress.com/ But this exhibition is of a particular importance for historians, architecture and art students.)

In the 17th century a new genre of painting—the cityscape—emerged, fostered by the booming economy of the Dutch Republic and its affluent urbanites. Images of towns and cities became expressions of enormous civic pride.

Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague.
Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague, October 11, 2008–January 11, 2009; National Gallery of Art, February 1–May 3, 2009
http://www.mauritshuis.nl/
http://www.nga.gov/

(From ArtDaily. org Newspaper)
The booming economy of the Dutch Republic fostered a new genre of painting in the 17th century—the cityscape. Images of towns and cities expressed the enormous civic pride of the era. Some 40 Dutch master artists are represented in the exhibition, including Gerrit Berckheyde, Aelbert Cuyp, Carel Fabritius, Jan van Goyen, Jan van der Heyden, Pieter de Hooch, Jacob van Ruisdael, Pieter Saenredam, and Jan Steen. A standout is Van Goyen's 15-foot-long View of The Hague from the Southeast (c. 1650–1651), which he painted for the town hall. Other cities depicted in the exhibition include Amsterdam, Haarlem, Delft, Dordrecht, Hoorn, Middleburg, Utrecht, Nijmegen, and Rhenen.
Holland was by far the most urbanized region of the 17 provinces of the Netherlands, evident in the many proud cityscapes of the largest and most prosperous cities: The Hague, the center of government; Amsterdam, the economic capital; Delft, with its intimate courtyards; and Haarlem, with its dynamic textile center situated near the dunes on the North Sea. The residents of Haarlem were particularly proud of their massive church St. Bavo, which even today defines the central market square. Native son Gerrit Berckheyde painted the church and the market numerous times, but St. Bavokerk in Haarlem (1666) is his most extraordinary depiction of the church. It fills the entire panel, with a remarkably accurate rendering of architectural details.
Amsterdam was the fastest-growing city in the Netherlands, becoming a port and trading center of international stature during this period. In 1652 Amsterdam's town hall, which was painted by Pieter Saenredam, burned in a spectacular fire that was recorded by many artists, including Jan Beerstraten. A new town hall (the present Palace on Dam Square), completed in 1665, was considered the eighth wonder of the world. In 1667Jan van der Heyden painted the town hall from an extreme angle, creating the sensation of the viewer looking up at this enormous structure.