impression from the inspection of the painted surface, with its greenish
shadows in the flesh portions, and coincides at least partially with results from
the examination of pigments in the flesh of Rachel in the National Gallery
painting. Although it is not evident from Christopher Brown’s analysis whether
the green was used there as an underpainting or only as an admixture, these
results constitute one of his arguments in support of the importance of Guido
Reni (who himself used green in flesh) in the ter Brugghen’s development.13
Slatkes and Schnackenburg convincingly place the Pilate in ter Brugghen’s
early period, between his first dated paintings, The Supper at Emm ans of 1616
in the Toledo Museum of Art, and the Adoration of the Magi of 1619, in the
Rijksmuseum.14 The early date of our painting is confirmed by the
characteristic rendering of the hands as if they were boneless, the extensive use
of impasto, and the physiognomic types of the figures. Slatkes places several
other works in the same period, for example the above-mentioned Beheading
of St. Catherine in Norfolk, either undated or else recorded in copies and
workshop repetitions.15
13 Cf. Christopher Brown, “The London ‘Jacob and Laban’ and ter Brugghen’s Italian Sources”, in:
Hendrick ter Brugghen und die Nachfolger Caravaggio’s in Holland, op. cit., pp.89-97, esp.
pp.89-90. The examination of pigments in the Pilate was carried out by Mrs. Ewa Wróbel of the
National Museum’s Laboratory and Mr. Marek Wróbel of the Geological Office “Geonafta” in
Warsaw. I am indebted to them, and to Grzegorz Janczarski from the Restoration Department of
the National Museum, for their assistance.
14 Cf. above, note 4 and 5. For these paintings cf. A. Blankert, L.J. Slatkes, et ah, Holländische Malerei
im neuem Licht. Hendrick ter Brugghen und seine Zeitgenossen, op. cit., cat. no. 1 and 2.
15 L.J.Slatkes, “Die Kunst des Hendrick ter Brugghen”, op. cit., s. 47-49, and especially idem,
“Rethinking ter Brugghen’s early Chronology”, op. cit., pp.80-82.
10. Bernardo Strozzi, An Act
of Mercy: Giving Drink to the
Thirsty, Sarasota, Florida, The
John and Mable Ringling
Museum of Art
230
shadows in the flesh portions, and coincides at least partially with results from
the examination of pigments in the flesh of Rachel in the National Gallery
painting. Although it is not evident from Christopher Brown’s analysis whether
the green was used there as an underpainting or only as an admixture, these
results constitute one of his arguments in support of the importance of Guido
Reni (who himself used green in flesh) in the ter Brugghen’s development.13
Slatkes and Schnackenburg convincingly place the Pilate in ter Brugghen’s
early period, between his first dated paintings, The Supper at Emm ans of 1616
in the Toledo Museum of Art, and the Adoration of the Magi of 1619, in the
Rijksmuseum.14 The early date of our painting is confirmed by the
characteristic rendering of the hands as if they were boneless, the extensive use
of impasto, and the physiognomic types of the figures. Slatkes places several
other works in the same period, for example the above-mentioned Beheading
of St. Catherine in Norfolk, either undated or else recorded in copies and
workshop repetitions.15
13 Cf. Christopher Brown, “The London ‘Jacob and Laban’ and ter Brugghen’s Italian Sources”, in:
Hendrick ter Brugghen und die Nachfolger Caravaggio’s in Holland, op. cit., pp.89-97, esp.
pp.89-90. The examination of pigments in the Pilate was carried out by Mrs. Ewa Wróbel of the
National Museum’s Laboratory and Mr. Marek Wróbel of the Geological Office “Geonafta” in
Warsaw. I am indebted to them, and to Grzegorz Janczarski from the Restoration Department of
the National Museum, for their assistance.
14 Cf. above, note 4 and 5. For these paintings cf. A. Blankert, L.J. Slatkes, et ah, Holländische Malerei
im neuem Licht. Hendrick ter Brugghen und seine Zeitgenossen, op. cit., cat. no. 1 and 2.
15 L.J.Slatkes, “Die Kunst des Hendrick ter Brugghen”, op. cit., s. 47-49, and especially idem,
“Rethinking ter Brugghen’s early Chronology”, op. cit., pp.80-82.
10. Bernardo Strozzi, An Act
of Mercy: Giving Drink to the
Thirsty, Sarasota, Florida, The
John and Mable Ringling
Museum of Art
230