| |
Historical Artist - Aelbert Cuyp (1620 - 1691)
Son of painter Jacob Gerritsz Cuyp, Albert spent all of his life in the Netherlands painting
land and seascapes. After his parents’ death in the early 1650’s, he inherited a
sizable amount of property and became involved in the town’s politics. His early work was
thought to consist of mainly still-life paintings. However, the landscapes of his later life
were known for conveying seasons and times of day with light and color, as well as incorporating
human and animal figures.His early work shows the influence of Jan van Goyen but after visiting
Utrecht in 1648, his work has Italianate characteristics of light and color. His work was
popular with 18th century English collectors and had a strong influence on the artists of that
time. In 1658, Cuyp married a rich widow and his production rate declined. His family were all
artists, with his uncle and grandfather being glass stainers. Jacob Gerritsz Cuyp, his father,
was a portraitist. Sunlight in his paintings rakes across the panel, accentuating small bits of
detail in the golden light. In large, atmospheric panoramas of the countryside, the highlights
on a blade of meadow grass, the mane of a tranquil horse, the horn of a dairy cow reclining by a
stream, or the tip of a peasant's hat are all caught in a bath of yellow ocher light. The richly
varnished medium refracts the rays of light like a jewel as it dissolves into numerous glazed
layers. Cuyp's landscapes were based on reality and on his own invention of what an enchanting
landscape should be.
Contemporary Dutch Artists
Art Galleries in the Netherlands
|
