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International Art Treasures Web Magazine March 2004 |
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Love in Art
Love is in the art at Nieuwe Kerk in the center of Amsterdam. The final exhibition in a series of loans from the spectacular Hermitage reflects love in artwork throughout the ages, borrowing from the Russian museums immense treasure trove of art and artifacts. The Garden of Love
The Image of LoveFamily is the focal point for this selection, which in many ways is a journey through the history of art.
The Venetian painter, Lorenzo Lotto (c. 1480-1556/7), worked in the Vatican for Pope Julius II. It was Lotto who executed Raphael's tomb in the Pantheon. The artist used brilliant colors and light effects note the image in the background behind the man's shoulder adding an interesting aspect to the otherwise dark work. Lotto is known for his great attention to detail.
The great Flemish artist, Anthony van Dyck (aka Anthonie van Dijck) was known for his skills as a portraitist as in the above Family Portrait is among the splendid artists in this collection. The Story of Love"Nearly all stories about love are deeply rooted in the past. It is almost as if the stories were there before man, as if the first man learned to behave according to the story. We know that there is such a thing as love, because we have been told about it. Whether that was done by gods or by writers who through they were gods is less important."1
The Ritual of LoveIn the setting for the recent Dutch Royal Wedding it is appropriate to include the Ritual of Love, weddings, engagements, in this exhibition.
Weddings of course are different and the exhibitors limit the endless possibilities to five. Included are the wedding robe worn by Tsar Alexander III in the Tsar wedding portion.
"Everyone falls in love in the course of life, usually more than once. It's a restless feeling, accompanies by an intense desire for the loved one. For the person in love only one question matters: How do I make my feelings clear?"2 "Sweet Temptations", depicting the dance of love were popular in the Court of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. The Pastoral Scene is from the Rococo painter, François Boucher (1703-1770). It demonstrates the use of lightness, grace along with playfulness and intimacy in the style that was a reaction to Baroque. Rococo originally meant tastelessly ornate when it was first introduced, a typical response to the new in art. Boucher was extremely popular with Madame de Pompadour and painted several images of her. Eventually she would become his art student. From the Hermitage
The exhibition is comprised of 250 masterpieces to tell the never-ending story of love. This exhibition is the final event in the Netherlands in the series to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg, Russia. The cooperation between the two countries hasn't ended the success of their endeavors has led to the creation of the Hermitage Amsterdam which will feature temporary exhibitions from the incredible collection of the Russian Hermitage. De Nieuwe Kerk
The New Church / De Nieuwe Kerk is in the heart of Amsterdam, alongside the Royal Palace on the Dam. It is the city's most famous church though it no longer holds regular services but it used as a cultural center. On February 2, 2002 it was the location for the Royal Wedding of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander to Crown Princess Máxima. The church pulpit was designed by Albert Vinckenbrinck. The organ with 5,000 pipes was the largest in the country at the time it was crafted by Galtus van Hagerbeer. It is the home of the annual Remembrance Day service attended by the Dutch Royal Family and the Dutch Government on May 4th each year. 1 Excerpt from the article by Abdelkader Benali in the catalogue of the
Love from the Hermitage Catalogue: Authors: Curators of the State Museum of
Hermitage and the Russian State Museum of St. Petersburg. Editor: Vincent
Boele. c. 275 pages. Dutch Edition: Published by Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle.
2
Excerpt from the article by Reinildis van Ditzhuyzen in the catalogue of the
Love from the Hermitage Catalogue: Authors: Curators of the State Museum of
Hermitage and the Russian State Museum of St. Petersburg. Editor: Vincent
Boele. c. 275 pages. Dutch Edition: Published by Waanders Uitgevers, Zwolle. |
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