DUTCH ART

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 54, 7 March 1929, Page 19

DUTCH ART

PICK OF THE MASTERS

EXHIBITION IN LONDON A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT '(From "the Post's" Representative.) LONDON, Oth January. To mark the opening of the exhibition of Dutch art, which is now being held at the Boyal Academy, under the auspices of the Anglo-Batavian Society, a luncheon'was held at Claridgo 's. Eminent representatives of. Great Britain and Holland, including many who have taken part in the work of assembling the collection from all parts ot: the world, exchanged congratulations on'the consummation of a notable artistic enterprise. '■ As chairman of 'the executive committee, the.Earl of Albemarle, .whose family is of distinguished Dutch origin, presided. The chairman proposed "Success to the Exhibitioi^,and to Holland." Acknowledging in handsome terms the cooperation of those who had lent pictures, he said that the refusals could be numbered on tho fingers of one hand. One consignment came up the Thames under the escort of a Dutch warship, and he contrasted the friendly welcome extendt ed on that occasion with that accorded on a previous visit when Van Tronip was received by the guns of Sheerness. The Netherlands Minister (Jhr K. de Marees van Swiuderen), in reply, referred with pride to the fact that London would be the scene for weeks to come of one of the greatest "foreign invasions" it had ever witnessed. "Holland in Piccadilly" represented an invasion in perfect harmony with tho spirit of our days—the spirit of peace/ mutual understanding, and culture. If the painting of King William which stood with that of Queen Mary at the top of the stairs at-Burlington Houso could speak, said his Excellency, it would surely say to the descendant of the man on whom he had showered honours and titles, "Well done, Albemarle, I am proud of you." (Cheers.) Ha thought it would be agreed that this was one of the greatest exhibitions over collected within the walls of Burbngton House.

FROM ALL SOURCES. : Holland had entrusted her greatest art treasures to the people of England;; led by the King, the people- of this couik try had eagerly taken the opportunity of lending their 'own Dutch masters in order to demonstrate to what a high degree tie love of ait had been cultivated in the homes of England, \ People, sometimes spoko of "shirt-sleeved diplomacy," but bo had himself witnessed the "shirt-sloeved labour" of the distinguished Dutch and English experts in the preparatory work of the exhibition. - Proposing- the toast of " The Royal Academy," Mr. F. Schmidt Degener, director, of the great Bijksmuseum at> Amsterdam, mentioned that, the work of,i collection had necessitated the dispatch of over 5000 letters by the'organising; staff. He mentioned Jthat. ;i theii-!British Minister at Bucharest hadimptored 300 miles to secure the loan •■& the Rembrandt in the possession of'the King of Rumania. • ...... , The Queen paid ait early visit to the Exhibition and . spent two-and-a-half hours there. She jiyas accompanied by. nearly all the members of th,e ; ..'lloyal Family. As she:vpßssed through!-,: the doors, attired in black velvet aittl:;furs, she was grepted bji^jie Priucesa^byal^ whom she kissed y-a^cctionatelyg Tho 1 Prince of :Wales v^'' 1 there, \v}:fh the; Dulte'of. (Ejlouceste'riiand Prince!jOeorge, and with the. Duk;e.vo| York c'aflie the Duchess, while with:Priiiccs3 MSry was Lord Lascelles. ' "

As the Queen came to each gallery she was presented to a prominent Dutch offir' clal, who conducted her from picture to picture and discussed the technique of } each bii'e. Before the Queen left-,she had the, wives of the foreign officials' brought to her. Her interest in the pictures was so sustained that many members of her party departed from Burlington House before she did, the Duke of Gloucester driving away; with Pr.ince Arthur of Cohnaught. REMBRANDT. The hanging on the whole is excellent (writes the critic of "The Morning Post")) but the placing- together of authentic and more or lesa speculative' pictures adds to the difficulties of ob : taining a clear idea or a cumulative effect. / ■ * . ■„ f For instance, one's impression is that neither Rembrandt, Frans HaU, nor Poter de Hooch is presented at the peak-top of Mb authority, that all three masters are seen to greator advantage ill our own National Gallery and Wallace Collection. More intimate study, however, may remove this imprwsion. There are, of course, superb examplos of Rembrandt's art in which his great qualities of characterisation, design, romance, and colour are majestically apparent. ' Note especially "The Bridal Couple," from Amsterdam, the King's magical "Adoration of the Magi," the Duke of Westminster's "Young Man with the Hawk," and its companion "The Lady with a Fan," the Earl of Crawford's "Portrait of Titua van Kijn" and "Portrait of Margaretha Trip," "Alexander the Great," from Glasgow, Messrs. Knoedlor's "Portrait of Titus," from the Holford collection, Mr- Otto Gutekunat's "Presumed Portrait of Aert do Gelder," and tho. Duke of Bucclcuch'3 brilliantly painted "Portrait of Saskia."

JOHANNES VERMEBR AND OTHERS. Johannes Vermeer, of Delft, who is nowadays placed next to Eembrandt, is supreme in at least five paintings, all well known to students of his immaculate art., But one alone has hitherto been shown' in England, that is the charming"'Lady afr Virginals and a Gentleman," from Buckingham Palace. The municipality of Amsterdam sends the extremely beautiful "Young Woman Reading a Letter." It. ia seemingly based on a grey ground, which shows through here and there, particularly at the head, face, and neck, where the upper paint haa either faded or boen rubbed thin. Nevertheless, the picture js most fascinating. So are the finely designed ".The Cook," from the Bijksinuseum, the magnificent "View, ot

Delft," from The Hague, whence also conies tho exquisite' " Portrait; of a Girl," once purchased for 5s and. lost for 200 years. . ' " The finest of the de Hooches, "Tho Card Players," belongs to', the' King, but there are.two admirable early works by this artist, "The Dutch . Garden," lent by Lord Melchett, and "The Dutch Garden Court," by Colonel H. A. Wernher. . . ' .As a.painter of rare, refinement Gerard Ter Borch is almost equal to Vcrmeer of' Delft. In. subtlety of tone, purity of colour .and general surface quality, there is nothing more perfoct hi the exhibition than "The Letter," from Buckingham Palace. Fraii3 van Mieris holds his own with a bewitching panel, "The Music Lesson," the property of Anton Jurgens, and Lady Ludlow sends a jolly little "Gentleman and Lady at tlve Harpsichord," by Gabriel Me.tsu. There is quite a number of vigorous Jan Steens, pictures by' Nicolas Macs, splendid sea pieces by Aelbert Cuyp, Johannes van de Cappelle, Adriaen van de Velde, and landscapes by Aert van der Neer, Hobbema, Philip Konitick, as well as pictures by-Willem Kalff," Gerard Hbnthorst, Jan van Goyen, and other seventeenth century painters.