Shedding Light

 Vermeer's Little Street 1630

An interesting week or so, beginning with a short trip to Amsterdam to catch a major Rembrandt and Velasquez exhibition at the Rijksmuseum. I had thought that I should go during this 350^th anniversary of Rembrandt’s death, to his native city which has been celebrating this notable event all year. I perhaps missed several other Rembrandt events but I was thrilled to attend Parallel Visions. In fact, though Rembrandt is the raison d’etre of the exhibition for the Rijksmuseum this special year, it had previously been at the Prada in Madrid where Diego Velasquez would have been the main man. The foundational idea of the exhibition is in the pairing of works of art on similar themes by contemporaneous artists; it is an inspired notion both for display and education.

The exhibition marks a special period in art’s cultural calendar, the Golden Age in each country; both artists were heroes of art in their respective countries at the same time and they are shown here with other important contemporary artists, Old Masters all: Vermeer, Hals, Zurbaran, and Murillo and the format is inspired. The paintings by paired artists on relatively similar themes permit the spectator to consider the interplay, dialogue, comparison and contrasts and find illumination on faith, religion, wealth and power. The hugely differing cultures of each country are demonstrated; Habsburg Spain and the Dutch Republic with their distinctive, almost opposing conceptions of Christianity yet their common artistic and cultural traditions. Interestingly, for most of the lives of the two artists, their countries were at war. When not at war, they were part of a group of countries: Germany, Britain, Portugal, entwined

 Velasquez's Gardens of the Villa Medici 1632

in commerce, rivalry, and co-dependant trade, each looking to outbid the others in any endeavour yet irrevocably members of the same Continental club.

One unexpected pairing features two landscapes; Velasquez’s ‘Gardens of the Villa Medici’ and Vermeer’s ‘Little Street.’ One is classical; one is domestic. Both shine with beautifully delineated
human action: Vermeer’s working women busy at their chores and Velasquez’s laundress throwing sheets over a balustrade. The background to the activities are skilfully observed: Vermeer’s cracked masonry and peeling paintwork; Velasquez’s boarded-up arches and broken brickwork. Two days pictured, one in Rome, one in Delft, catch for us the light, the shadows, the humble quotidian activities and the overall stillness of two perfectly executed scenes.

 Rembrandt's Self Portrait 1669

 Velasquez's Self Portrait 1640

Quite late in the exhibition is the pairing of two self portraits; Rembrandt’s of his ageing face and Velasquez’s showing a proud and arrogant man, resplendent in lace ruff throwing shadows across the jaw, face lit skilfully, adorned with a majestic moustache and eyes haughtily piercing the gaze of the observer. This is a man defiant, proud, wary and unyielding. Rembrandt’s splendid turban gives a je ne sais quoi of bravado to his sagging, mottled skin and the deep facial furrows, again beautifully lit. There is suffering there, but a resigned, rueful, uncomplaining acceptance of life’s emotional experiences bringing with it self-knowledge and a spiritual dignity. Of all Rembrandt’s many self portraits, this is the One I Want! The juxtaposition of the two portraits is inspired.

 De Bereigde Zwaan by Jan Asselijn  1650

Here is an interesting pairing; the swan, wings outstretched, defending her young, even to the death, alongside the martyrdom of a Saint, arms akimbo in agony, dying to defend his beliefs.

 The Martyrdom of Saint Serapion by
Francisco Zurbaran 1628.