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| Johannes van Wijckersloot Allegory on the French Invasion of 1672 1672 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"In 1672 the Netherlands was invaded by the French. That disaster is allegorically rendered in the drawing at which the seated man looks; the Dutch lion is defeated, its weapons in pieces, the gate to its enclosure broken; above the French rooster crows triumphantly. Symbolizing the other side is the standing man with an orange feather in his cap; he is a supporter of William III or Orange, who would avert the French threat." Provenance: The painting was in held in a private French collection until 1985, then passed through the hands of several European dealers and auction houses until purchased by the museum in 1995. Considering its apparent quality and significance, and compared to other art sales, the price of roughly $150,000 seems surprisingly low.
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| Abraham van Westerveld Portrait of Lieutenant Admiral Cornelis Tromp in Roman Costume ca. 1666 oil on panel Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
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| Adriaen van de Venne Fishing for Souls 1614 oil on panel Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"At the left are the Protestant north Netherlanders, and at the right the Catholic southerners. Both parties fish for souls in the wide river dividing them. The Protestants' catch is greater than that of the Catholics. Moreover, at the left the sun is shining and the trees are in leaf. This is a reference to the Psalm: 'the righteous will flourish like a tree bearing fruit, whose leaves never wither'."
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| Jan Both Street Scene placed among Roman Ruins ca. 1640-52 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
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| Govert Flinck Portrait of Officers and Civic Guardsmen of the XVIIIth district of Amsterdam serving under Captain Albert Bas and Lieutenant Lucas Conijn 1645 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
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| Jan Tengnagel Portrait of Officers and Civic Guardsmen of the XIth district of Amsterdam 1613 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
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| Adam Pijnacker Boatmen moored on the shore of an Italian Lake perhaps intended to represent The Flight into Egypt ca. 1650-70 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"Pijnacker assembled an ingenious composition. Dark tree trunks in the foreground frame the vignette of the boats. Everything is bathed in the gold glow of the warm Italian light. Sunlight falls on the white birch bark and mossy tree trunks, creating sharp accents."
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| Adriaen van de Velde The Hut 1671 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"The Rijksmuseum bought Adriaen van de Velde's painting in 1822 for the – at the time – staggering amount of 8290 guilders. Its small format notwithstanding, throughout the 19th century the painting was considered an absolute masterpiece of Dutch Golden Age art. This celebrity status faded in the 20th century. Even so, it remains one of the most beautiful pictures from the last year of the artist's life."
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| Frans Francken II Allegory on the Abdication of Emperor Charles V in Brussels ca. 1630-40 oil on panel Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"Charles V is enthroned at centre. Battle weary and wracked by illness, in 1555 he divided up his empire. He gave his brother Ferdinand (left of the the throne) the Holy Roman Empire, while his son Philip (at the right) became King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands. The four figures in the right foreground personify the continents over which Charles's vast empire stretched. Neptune (left) symbolizes his power at sea."
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| Caspar Netscher Portrait of William III Prince of Orange and Stadholder ca. 1680-84 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"At the time this portrait was made, William III was stadholder of the Dutch Republic and commander of the army. This is how a ruler had himself immortalized, namely holding a commander's staff to underscore his actual might. The plumed helmet and orange sash also signify his status. Still, the prince had not yet reached the height of his power: in 1689 he would also become the king of England."
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| Johannes Lingelbach Italian Marketplace with Quack Dentist 1651 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"Lingelbach made sketches from life in Rome, from which he composed this imaginary marketplace after he returned to Amsterdam. The figures take no interest in the antique ruins; their attention is absorbed by the tooth-puller to the left, who treats his victim while on horseback. In the centre, two men play morra (which involves how many fingers the opponent will hold up). At right is a clambellaro selling pretzels and other refreshments."
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| Jan van Goyen Landscape with Two Oaks 1641 oil on canvas Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"The two gnarled oak trees, brightly illuminated by a few rays of sunlight, stand out sharply against the threatening sky. Van Goyen drew the trees with his brush. He used thin, almost transparent paint for the foliage, and thick grainy paint for the furrowed trunks. The landscape's near monochrome palette is enlivened by the blue and red doublets of the two figures resting."
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| Adriaen Coorte Four Apricot on a Stone Plinth 1698 oil on paper, mounted on panel Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
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| Adriaen Coorte Still Life with Asparagus 1697 oil on paper, mounted on panel Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam |
"Coorte produced mostly small, intimate still lifes. Through their simple subjects – asparagus or berries – these modest paintings stand out in stark contrast to the sumptuous still lifes that were in fashion at the time. While the aim of those works was to present a superabundance of costly objects and foodstuffs, here attention is focused on the refined rendering of a single vegetable."
– quoted texts are from curator's notes at the Rijksmuseum