DOI Heft:
Nr. 3-4
DOI Artikel:Slatkes, Leonard J.: Bringing Ter Brugghen and Baburen up-to-date
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18945#0229
Parable of the Foolish Rich Man,81 indicated the direction in which he was
looking at this moment. Let us also not forget, as we have already seen, that Jan
Li evens had also taken a good look at what ter Brugghen was doing as early as
1625, and continued to do so.
Despite attempts to date the Death of the Virgin c. 16 24,82 all stylistic
evidence points to a somewhat later date, around 1626-27. It is only in this late
phase of ter Brugghen’s development that complex and competing double
light sources begin to make their appearance as, for example, in the London
Musical Group, in which, significantly, the same oddly shaped oil lamp also
appears on the upper back wall.83 The placement of a single expressive female
figure in a limited but complete spatial setting and with a similar sophisticated
treatment of light and coloristic patterns, can also be found in the radiant
Melancholy, in Toronto.84 Both pictures are mature works by ter Brugghen that
can be dated around 1626 or 1627, suggesting that he and not Rembrandt
introduced the single figured history painting into the vocabulary of Dutch
seventeenth century art.
81 Berlin, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturebesitz Gemäldegalerie. Bredius 1969, cat. 420; J.
Bruyn et al, 1 (1982), cat. A 10; Slatkes Rembrandt.., op. cit., cat. 69.
82 Blankert A Newly Discovered Painting.., op. cit., p.18, rests his case upon “a vertical stroke on
the right that seems to be that of a Figure 4.” Having examined the signature and date I am far less
certain of the existence of this “vertical stroke” and thus the reading of the date.
83 Utrecht/Braunschweig exh. 1986/87, cat. 23, illust. in color. Interestingly, this same unusually
shaped lamp also appears in the Girl With a Firebrand.
84 Utrecht/Braunschweig exh. 1986/87, cat. 25, illust. in color.
looking at this moment. Let us also not forget, as we have already seen, that Jan
Li evens had also taken a good look at what ter Brugghen was doing as early as
1625, and continued to do so.
Despite attempts to date the Death of the Virgin c. 16 24,82 all stylistic
evidence points to a somewhat later date, around 1626-27. It is only in this late
phase of ter Brugghen’s development that complex and competing double
light sources begin to make their appearance as, for example, in the London
Musical Group, in which, significantly, the same oddly shaped oil lamp also
appears on the upper back wall.83 The placement of a single expressive female
figure in a limited but complete spatial setting and with a similar sophisticated
treatment of light and coloristic patterns, can also be found in the radiant
Melancholy, in Toronto.84 Both pictures are mature works by ter Brugghen that
can be dated around 1626 or 1627, suggesting that he and not Rembrandt
introduced the single figured history painting into the vocabulary of Dutch
seventeenth century art.
81 Berlin, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturebesitz Gemäldegalerie. Bredius 1969, cat. 420; J.
Bruyn et al, 1 (1982), cat. A 10; Slatkes Rembrandt.., op. cit., cat. 69.
82 Blankert A Newly Discovered Painting.., op. cit., p.18, rests his case upon “a vertical stroke on
the right that seems to be that of a Figure 4.” Having examined the signature and date I am far less
certain of the existence of this “vertical stroke” and thus the reading of the date.
83 Utrecht/Braunschweig exh. 1986/87, cat. 23, illust. in color. Interestingly, this same unusually
shaped lamp also appears in the Girl With a Firebrand.
84 Utrecht/Braunschweig exh. 1986/87, cat. 25, illust. in color.