Museum De Lakenhal presents: Gerrit Dou. The Leiden Collection from New York
18 december 2013
Museum De Lakenhal pays tribute to Gerrit (Gerard) Dou (1613-1674), great master of the Dutch Golden Age, with a special private exhibition of the largest collection of Dou paintings worldwide. Dou was born in Leiden 400 years ago. From 11 March through 31 August 2014, Museum De Lakenhal in Leiden will present this private collection - The Leiden Collection from New York – for the first time ever to the general public.
Largest collection worldwide
The Leiden Collection from New York consists mainly of works by the seventeenth-century Leiden Fijnschilders (Fine Painters) and includes no fewer than 13 paintings by Dou from all stages of his career. The collection will now travel to the Netherlands for the first time ever. This unique exhibition by Museum De Lakenhal in cooperation with The Leiden Collection will pay tribute to Rembrandt van Rijn’s first apprentice.
Gerrit Dou
Painter Gerrit Dou from Leiden, who is also known as Gerard Dou, was one of the most leading artists of his era. After an apprenticeship with Rembrandt, he developed into one of the most renowned painters of the Dutch Republic with his delicately painted masterpieces. Nowadays, Dou’s paintings are present in all major art museums throughout the world. Already during his lifetime, his work was avidly collected by royal collectors such as Queen Christina of Sweden and Grand Duke Cosimo III of Tuscany, who even visited him at home in Leiden.
New light shed on Dou
The Leiden Collection comprises both early and late works by Dou. Recent material-technical research has shed a new light on the works by the world-famous master from the Dutch Golden Age. In May 2014,The Leiden Collection will launch all results of this new research project on a new website. These results will also be displayed in the exhibition. Moreover, this website will provide online access to the collection to the public.
Homecoming
The presentation of the exhibition Gerrit Dou. The Leiden Collection from New York in Museum De Lakenhal, is a homecoming for the works that the artist painted in the city in the Dutch Golden Age. This exhibition forms a perfect match with Museum De Lakenhal’s collection, which comprises works of contemporaries such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Lievens, Jan Steen, Jan van Goyen and Gabriel Metsu.
NOTE TO THE EDITOR
Museum De Lakenhal is the museum for the arts, crafts and history of the city of Leiden. Highlights of the collection are works of old masters such as Lucas van Leyden, Rembrandt van Rijn and Jan Steen, but also works by contemporary artists such as Theo van Doesburg, Jan Wolkers and Erwin Olaf. Museum De Lakenhal develops high-quality exhibitions of national or international interest based on sources from Leiden. The museum presents itself as an innovative network museum aimed at all generations with a classical and stylish, but at the same time contemporary and daring character.