Gerrit Dou 1613-1675

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful collection from an overlooked genius.
Review: Although Rembrandt and Vermeer are the two most discussed and honored of the Dutch Masters, and deservedly so, Gerrit (or Gerard) Dou had a far more dramatic influence on 17th century art in the Netherlands than either of his better known countrymen. It is Rembrandt's later work, with an individuality so far ahead of its time, and Vermeer's penetrating psychological touches that make them fascinating to us in light of modern movements in art. But the paintings of Dou, by the laborious nature of their creation if not always their actual subject matter, give a much deeper insight into the culture and times in which he lived, and the growing taste for luxury from the then newly-emerged Dutch middle class. His images were themselves like jewels, with beauty almost impossible to imagine coming from a human hand, and the artistic perfection that began with Van Eyck found a worthy successor. When such virtuosity became less appreciated in the late 19th century, however, Dou then suffered the fate that Vermeer had known all along, and his name was all but forgotten. It is to the world's benefit that recent showings at the National Gallery in Washington, as well as this flawless book, are begining to change that. As with all of the other volumes that Arthur Wheelock has compiled and edited, this book provides a thoroughly detailed examination of Dou's work, with the kind of objective insight that can re-emphasize his importance to all those just learning about this amazing painter.

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Summary: Long-awaited show and catalogue of precious Dou paintings
Review: This catalogue to the current Dou exhibition in Washington (NGA - 4/16-10/6,2000) is as splendid and intimate as the show itself - 35 small, exquisitely crafted paintings by the Leiden master who was Rembrandt's pupil while that master was himself still a teenager. Wheelock reviews the critical history around Dou's work - the minutely detailed paintings, with their startlingly accurate and refined light effects were highly valued and admired until Thore-Burger and the early modern critics heralded the taste for broad, expressive brushwork. They labelled his work as superficial and heartless, but more recent work has rediscovered sophisiticated and thoughtful themes in such works as the Quack (included) and the Braamcamp triptych (two closely related works are included). Baer's essay outlines the career, working method and subject matter of Dou, exploring some aspects of his extraordinary "reality effect" as well, while Boersema explores his extraordinary, painstaking technique, reviewing such technical evidence as paint samples and reflectograms from the Lady at her Toilet and the Young Mother, both part of the show. There's not a lot of new work on Dou, so this catalogue is especially welcome to those of us who love Dutch Art of the Golden Age. This NGA cabinet gallery show moves to the London National Gallery for Sept and Nov, and the Hague's Mauritshuis from Dec to next Feb. This catalogue's gorgeous reproductions and substantial bibliography make it a solid, up-to-date reference on Dou too.

Rating:
Summary: Exquisite painter brought back into limelight
Review: This exhibition catalogue contains enlightening and thoughtful essays on seventeenth-century Dutch painter, Gerrit Dou. Dou, one of Rembrandt's students, was highly esteemed during his lifetime for his exquisite technique in painting, but as Arthur Wheelock explains in one of the catalogue essays, his work began to lose favor in the middle of the nineteenth century. This catalogue is a wonderful account of Dou's rise and fall from fame, as well as a study of his masterful painting technique. In addition to the informative text, the color illustrations are beautifully rich, and they do justice to Dou's incredible paintings.

Rating:
Summary: Exquisite painter brought back into limelight
Review: This exhibition catalogue contains enlightening and thoughtful essays on seventeenth-century Dutch painter, Gerrit Dou. Dou, one of Rembrandt's students, was highly esteemed during his lifetime for his exquisite technique in painting, but as Arthur Wheelock explains in one of the catalogue essays, his work began to lose favor in the middle of the nineteenth century. This catalogue is a wonderful account of Dou's rise and fall from fame, as well as a study of his masterful painting technique. In addition to the informative text, the color illustrations are beautifully rich, and they do justice to Dou's incredible paintings.