FIRST HALF OF CLASS 6

DUTCH GENRE PAINTINGDUTCH GENRE PAINTING

Woman Holding a Woman Holding a Balance by Vermeer,Balance by Vermeer,c. 1664 c. 1664

DUTCH GENRE PAINTINGDUTCH GENRE PAINTING

Feast of St. NicholasFeast of St. Nicholasby Jan Steenby Jan Steen

Still Life by William Claesz. HedaStill Life by William Claesz. Heda

DUTCH STILL LIFE: MORALIZING MEANINGS DUTCH STILL LIFE: MORALIZING MEANINGS

Still Life by Willem Claesz. Heda (1636)Still Life by Willem Claesz. Heda (1636)

Lemon: looks Lemon: looks but has a bitter but has a bitter

taste; metaphor taste; metaphor for the deceptive for the deceptive nature of worldly nature of worldly

pleasure. pleasure.

Life of Man by Jan Steen (c.1665)Life of Man by Jan Steen (c.1665)

Boy blowing bubbles and Boy blowing bubbles and skull: vanitas, insignificance skull: vanitas, insignificance of worldly pursuits, desires of worldly pursuits, desires

DUTCH GENRE PAINTING: MORALIZING MEANINGS DUTCH GENRE PAINTING: MORALIZING MEANINGS


Sleeping Sportsman Sleeping Sportsman by Gabriel Metsu by Gabriel Metsu (c.1660)(c.1660)

““Vogelen” (birds): Vogelen” (birds): slang for sex slang for sex


The Morning Toilet The Morning Toilet by Jan Steenby Jan Steen (1663)(1663)

Candle and open jewelCandle and open jewel box: “Neither does one box: “Neither does one buy pearls in the dark, buy pearls in the dark, nor does one look for nor does one look for love at night.” (periodlove at night.” (period cliché)cliché)

“ “Kous” (stocking):Kous” (stocking): slang for vaginaslang for vagina

She is a prostitute; She is a prostitute; moral about illicit sexmoral about illicit sex

Putting on Putting on stocking stocking

Candle and open Candle and open jewel box jewel box


Still Life by Willem Claesz. Heda (1636)Still Life by Willem Claesz. Heda (1636)

Lemon: looks Lemon: looks but has a bitter but has a bitter

taste; metaphor taste; metaphor for the deceptive for the deceptive nature of worldly nature of worldly

pleasure. pleasure.


Vanitas Still Lifes by Harmen Steenwijck (c.1640s) Vanitas Still Lifes by Harmen Steenwijck (c.1640s)

Transience Transience

Withered branch Withered branch

Burned out pipes Burned out pipes

Snuffed out candle Snuffed out candle

Over-turned glassOver-turned glassHistory book History book

--In a 20+ year career as a --In a 20+ year career as a painter, may not have painter, may not have painted more than 50 works.painted more than 50 works.--Born and baptized in Delft in --Born and baptized in Delft in 1632 1632 --Father owned a tavern (in the --Father owned a tavern (in the same building as their home), same building as their home), designed and sold silk cloth,designed and sold silk cloth, and was registered as a and was registered as a master art dealermaster art dealer--Registered with Guild of St. --Registered with Guild of St. Luke in 1653, dues not fully Luke in 1653, dues not fully paid until 1656. Periodically paid until 1656. Periodically listed as a board member.listed as a board member.

Registry, Guild of Registry, Guild of St. Luke St. Luke

VERMEER: KNOWN DOCUMENTATION OF HIS LIFEVERMEER: KNOWN DOCUMENTATION OF HIS LIFE

--Married in 1653; his wife’s--Married in 1653; his wife’s mother, Maria Thins, had anmother, Maria Thins, had an small but impressive artsmall but impressive art collection.collection.--Apparently had a patron--Apparently had a patron named Van Ruijven, who named Van Ruijven, who had rights of first refusal onhad rights of first refusal on his works. Van Ruijvenhis works. Van Ruijven owned at least 20 Vermeers,owned at least 20 Vermeers, dating from the 1650s to dating from the 1650s to the 1670s. It is believed Vanthe 1670s. It is believed Van Ruijven kept Vermeer on a Ruijven kept Vermeer on a retainer—this is not retainer—this is not specifically documented, butspecifically documented, but Van Ruijven’s cousin had Van Ruijven’s cousin had exactly such an arrangementexactly such an arrangement with Gerard Dou.with Gerard Dou.




--Various loan certificates --Various loan certificates survive.survive.--Vermeer took over his father’s --Vermeer took over his father’s house and tavern, but had house and tavern, but had to rent them out in 1672 and to rent them out in 1672 and move to a smaller house.move to a smaller house.--Dies in 1676, leaving 8 --Dies in 1676, leaving 8 children and various debts; children and various debts; his widow is forced to give his widow is forced to give some of his paintings to a some of his paintings to a baker as a collateral for a baker as a collateral for a bakery bill.bakery bill.



--His widow petitions for --His widow petitions for bankruptcy; various paintings bankruptcy; various paintings seized to cover debts, seized to cover debts, including 26 by a merchant including 26 by a merchant against a grocery bill.against a grocery bill.

Notice of bankruptcy of Notice of bankruptcy of Vermeer’s widow Vermeer’s widow

VERMEER: MORALIZING MEANINGSVERMEER: MORALIZING MEANINGS

Maidservant PouringMaidservant PouringMilk: domesticMilk: domesticvirtue?—women at virtue?—women at choreschores

Nurturing?—milk Nurturing?—milk


Lady Weighing Gold Lady Weighing Gold Scales: vanitas Scales: vanitas

The Last Judgment The Last Judgment

Christ in judgment Christ in judgment

The Saved The Saved The Damned The Damned


St. Michael with St. Michael with scales judging scales judging

souls souls

By Hans MemlingBy Hans Memling(15(15thth century) century)

Takes place of Takes place of St. Michael, bridge St. Michael, bridge

between secular between secular and sacred worlds: and sacred worlds:

as you judge in as you judge in this world, this world,

someday you will someday you will be judged be judged

Entertainment & Humor

FIRST HALF OF CLASS 6