A Little Italy Making a Stop at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, a Collection of Paintings Highlights Influential 17Th-Century Dutch Painters
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VISUAL ARTS A little Italy Making a stop at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, a collection of paintings highlights influential 17th-century Dutch painters. BY ALLISON MEIER The Dutch Italianates: anniversary. Rather than 17th-Century Masterpieces put the pieces in stor- from Dulwich Picture Gallery age while die)' renovate, OPENING 5:30 P.M. TONIGHT, Dulwich sent diem on ON OISPLAY THROUGH JAN. 3, 2010 a tour dirough Virgínia, OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART Califórnia, Pennsylvania 415 COUCH and, now, Oklahoma. 236-3100 WWW.OKCMOA.COM "These are some of the very best $12 ADULTS, $10 SENIORS, STUDENTS, paintings of die 17th centur)', so I MILITARY AND CHILDREN 6-18, hope diat die public in Oklahoma FREE FOR CHILDREN S AND UNDER can have a revelacion because die art is veiy beautiful and theyYe easy to enjoy," said Ian Dejardin, direc- tor of the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Once revered as equals of Rembrandt "Theres a lot of humor in diem and and Vermeer, the 17th-century Dutch a lot of humaii interest, too. I really Italianates faded out of prominence in do hope diat people are surprised arts histórica] memory. But through and bring che paintings back to the ambitions of a Polish king and the die levei of appreciation diat diey founding of a London gallery, a com- should never have lost." prehensive collection of the masters' art He will give an opening-night upholds die works' reputation. lecrure on die gallery and die col- "The Dutch Italianates: 17th- lecuon 5:30-6:30 p.m. tonight. century Mascerpieces from Dulwich Whedier working in Italy or Picture Gallery'1 debutes tonight at die only from secondhand skecches, Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The die arrists incorporated elements of museum is the last stop for die 39 paint- classical Roman archítecture into ings' American toux and includes art by landscapes of mountains and rivers Nicolaes Berchem, Aelbert Cuyp, Karel under luminescent skies. While Dujardin, Adam Pynacker and Philips landscape artists of odier countries top Nicholaes P. Berchem's "Roman Fountain with Cattle and Figures" Wouwermans. cleared their scenery of life but die trees, bottom Jan Weenix^s "Landscape with Shepherd Boy" "They are ali Dutch painters who the Dutch artists populated diem widi were looking to Italy for rheir inspira- people and animais. museum in Warsaw diat wouid be com- art gallery in England. Although the tion, whedier it be for elements of the "This is a very Dutch element where prehensive of die history of art, includ- Dutch Italianates may have fallen out of composition or subjecc matter," said you have this prisdne landscape and dien ing ali time periods from around die art collecring fashion, diey had such an Jennifer Klos, associate curator and ali die sudden you may have a shepherd, world. He commissioned two London enormous influence on die 18di-century departmenc coordinator at die museum. peasants or milk maids in die composi- collectors, but before they finished the aesdieric in France and England, that it "Italy lias always been an inspiration for tion referencing everyday life," Klos said. deal, Poland was partitioned by its pow- crossed the Atlantic to inspire 19di-cen- most of Europe, but particularly in die "If you pay attenrion to die figures, they erful neighbor Rússia, lead by Stanislaus tury American art. 17di century. After die success of die look natural. These are elements thac ref- Augustus' ex-lover, Catherine the Great. "These paintings are among the Renaissance, ever)'one's looking to Italy erence everyday life in Holland." The king was exiled and die collectors most beautiful landscapes produced to learn about clássica! art and becoming Although the artists were capturing didnt get dieir commission. by any country in the 17th century," inspired by ic. the exocicism-of Italy dirough marble "Our founders were left widi the Dejardin said. "We have been part of "From a mere geographic perspec- columns, ancient bridges and temple paintings they had already colleaed for die process of bringing these artists back tive, the Dutch were interested in going ruins, diey also included the familiar by him and couldn't find a buyer," Dejardin to public appreciation, and rhats really down and seeing the bright Italian sky re-creating Italian and Dutch people. said. "They tried Rússia and the British what I want to do because amongst and the lighc that is different from what "They loved ordinary people and government and no dice, so they these names, there are a few rhat are cends to be an overcast and kind of animais, and you'll find some wonderful decided to carry on building die collec- quite well known, but they are ali abso- cloudy Holland." horses in diese paindngs," Dejardin said. tion and gave it ro Dulwich College in lutely brilliant artists." HM The exhibit was organized by "If you went to this exhibition and only London ín 1811, and thatls how our gal- Dulwich Picture Gallery dirough looked at die horses, you'd have a won- lery was founded." .International Arts & Artists, and the derful time." As a condition of the donation, 1 Visit OKGazette.com opporrunicy to see die Ducch Italianates The paindngs were first collected die art had to be made availablc to the for our comprehensive works outside of England carne as die as Stanislaus Augustus, the last king public, making die Dulwich Picture - events calendar, for arts, gallery prepares to celebratc its 200ch of Poland, planned to set up a massive Gallery the oldcst purpose-built public music, sports and more. OKLAHOMA GAZETTE • OCTOBER 7, 2009 • 57.