T N T |
The Native Tourist reformed/biblical observations on Christianity and culture |
![]() |
blog by Dave Hegeman author of Plowing in Hope
Dave is:
email: house1870 -at- hotmail ![]() ![]() Subscribe to August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 |
Friday, April 06, 2007
Not Seen and Not Heard
I recently bought a wonderful exhibition catalog on the Dutch genre painter Pieter de Hooch. He is purhaps best known for his domestic interiors featuring mothers and children of various ages. But as the catalog makes clear, he painted many other kinds of subjects including scenes of courtship/flirting. De Hooch is often compared with Vermeer. Both were residents of Delft and it is widely acknowledged that De Hooch has a profound influence of Vermeer's development. But the comparison between the two painters points to a glaring omission: Vermeer never, ever included children in his paintings. Granted, there are only 34 (or so) paintings known by Vermeer so this is not a mountain of evidence. But it is still surprising. Nearly all other Dutch painters of interior scenes painted at least some scenes with children. This includes Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Frans Hals, Nicolaes Maes, Gabriel Metsu, Gerard Terborch, Isaak Ostade, etc. The Dutch loved children. A biblical view of family life dominated Dutch culture of Golden Age and it is celebrated in the art of the period as well. Children have a major place in art of the period as well. Which leads us to ask: Why did Vermeer choose not to paint them? |