Famous Paintings in the Netherlands
Many famous paintings can be found in the Netherlands, which makes sense when considering how many famous painters got their start in the Netherlands. The work of many of the Dutch masters can still be found in museums and galleries in their native cities, though many are also on display at major museums around the world, including museums in New York and Paris.
Dutch art is interesting for many reasons, one reason being that Dutch art from the Dutch Golden Age (which spanned the 17th century), was so divergent from that produced in the rest of Europe at the time. The turbulent political climate which the Netherlands was experiencing in the 1700s resulted in a new Dutch Republic, with a prosperous, bright future and a large middle class. Art was a large part of this new Dutch culture, and the paintings produced during this period reflect the new Dutch Republic. Some of the more iconic Dutch paintings are discussed below.
Night Watch
"Night Watch" also known as “The Night Watch” or “Company of Frans Banning Cocq and Willem van Ruytenburch,” is one of the most famous works by Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. The picture is a group portrait of a division of the civic guard. This painting is unique because of how the group of militiamen is depicted: Rembrandt did not paint them in a formal way; that is, their posture is not rigid, they are not exactly posing or arranged in a row or sitting at an official function. Instead, Rembrandt recorded a moment in time—they have just been called to action and are ready to march which brings unprecedented life and movement to the canvas. This work is on display in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and is considered one of the most famous paintings in their collection.
A 2007 film titled “Nightwatching” was made about the piece, and about the life of the artist, Rembrandt.
Girl With A Pearl Earring
The painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring," by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, is considered one of Vermeer’s greatest works. The painting is a portrait of a young girl who, as one might suspect from the name of the piece, wears a pearl earring. The painting hangs in the Mauritshuis gallery in the Hague and is sometimes known as "the Dutch Mona Lisa."
A book, "Girl with a Pearl Earring", was written about the painting in 1999. The novel depicts a fictionalized history of the painting’s creation, involving the artist Vermeer and the subject of the painting, (in this book the servant girl, Griet).
"Girl with a Pearl Earring" was also made into a film in 2003. The film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a BAFTA Award for best actress.