FIRST HALF OF CLASS 6
- 1. DUTCH GENRE PAINTING Woman Holding a Balance by Vermeer, c. 1664
- 2. DUTCH GENRE PAINTING Feast of St. Nicholas by Jan Steen Still Life by William Claesz. Heda
- 3. DUTCH STILL LIFE: MORALIZING MEANINGS Still Life by Willem Claesz. Heda (1636) Lemon: looks but has a bitter taste; metaphor for the deceptive nature of worldly pleasure.
- 4. Life of Man by Jan Steen (c.1665) Boy blowing bubbles and skull: vanitas, insignificance of worldly pursuits, desires DUTCH GENRE PAINTING: MORALIZING MEANINGS
- 5. DUTCH GENRE PAINTING: MORALIZING MEANINGS Sleeping Sportsman by Gabriel Metsu (c.1660) “ Vogelen” (birds): slang for sex
- 6. DUTCH GENRE PAINTING: MORALIZING MEANINGS The Morning Toilet by Jan Steen (1663) Candle and open jewel box: “Neither does one buy pearls in the dark, nor does one look for love at night.” (period cliché) “ Kous” (stocking): slang for vagina She is a prostitute; moral about illicit sex Putting on stocking Candle and open jewel box
- 7. DUTCH STILL LIFE: MORALIZING MEANINGS Still Life by Willem Claesz. Heda (1636) Lemon: looks but has a bitter taste; metaphor for the deceptive nature of worldly pleasure.
- 8. DUTCH STILL LIFE: MORALIZING MEANINGS Vanitas Still Lifes by Harmen Steenwijck (c.1640s) Transience Withered branch Burned out pipes Snuffed out candle Over-turned glass History book
- 9. --In a 20+ year career as a painter, may not have painted more than 50 works. --Born and baptized in Delft in 1632 --Father owned a tavern (in the same building as their home), designed and sold silk cloth, and was registered as a master art dealer --Registered with Guild of St. Luke in 1653, dues not fully paid until 1656. Periodically listed as a board member. Registry, Guild of St. Luke VERMEER: KNOWN DOCUMENTATION OF HIS LIFE
- 10. --Married in 1653; his wife’s mother, Maria Thins, had an small but impressive art collection. --Apparently had a patron named Van Ruijven, who had rights of first refusal on his works. Van Ruijven owned at least 20 Vermeers, dating from the 1650s to the 1670s. It is believed Van Ruijven kept Vermeer on a retainer—this is not specifically documented, but Van Ruijven’s cousin had exactly such an arrangement with Gerard Dou. Registry, Guild of St. Luke VERMEER: KNOWN DOCUMENTATION OF HIS LIFE
- 11. VERMEER: KNOWN DOCUMENTATION OF HIS LIFE --Various loan certificates survive. --Vermeer took over his father’s house and tavern, but had to rent them out in 1672 and move to a smaller house. --Dies in 1676, leaving 8 children and various debts; his widow is forced to give some of his paintings to a baker as a collateral for a bakery bill. Registry, Guild of St. Luke
- 12. VERMEER: KNOWN DOCUMENTATION OF HIS LIFE --His widow petitions for bankruptcy; various paintings seized to cover debts, including 26 by a merchant against a grocery bill. Notice of bankruptcy of Vermeer’s widow
- 13. VERMEER: MORALIZING MEANINGS Maidservant Pouring Milk: domestic virtue?—women at chores Nurturing?—milk
- 14. VERMEER: MORALIZING MEANINGS Lady Weighing Gold Scales: vanitas The Last Judgment Christ in judgment The Saved The Damned
- 15. VERMEER: MORALIZING MEANINGS St. Michael with scales judging souls By Hans Memling (15 th century) Takes place of St. Michael, bridge between secular and sacred worlds: as you judge in this world, someday you will be judged
Editor's Notes
- #2: saw that dutch genre is deceptive, beneath veneer of everyday life, often moralizing meanings, and same can be said for vermeer—so good at the look, so slick and efficient a painter that not nearly as obvious, but often moralizing
- #3: saw that dutch genre is deceptive, beneath veneer of everyday life, often moralizing meanings, and same can be said for vermeer—so good at the look, so slick and efficient a painter that not nearly as obvious, but often moralizing
- #4: at least a general meaning, in these all flowers that would bloom at different times, so an artificial not natural construction, of transcience, all thigns will decay, even without more hidden meanings
- #5: homo bulla-man is a bubble
- #8: at least a general meaning, in these all flowers that would bloom at different times, so an artificial not natural construction, of transcience, all thigns will decay, even without more hidden meanings
- #9: at least a general meaning, in these all flowers that would bloom at different times, so an artificial not natural construction, of transcience, all thigns will decay, even without more hidden meanings
- #10: from time of birth until wedding, no mentionof him—re dues paid, only matter of what would have been a few hundred dollars to register, so either he really didn’t much care, or he was in very bad financial straits—no master for vermeer known, nothing about training or apprenticeship, commissions, sales, or early career
- #11: from time of birth until wedding, no mentionof him—re dues paid, only matter of what would have been a few hundred dollars to register, so either he really didn’t much care, or he was in very bad financial straits—no master for vermeer known, nothing about training or apprenticeship, commissions, sales, or early career
- #12: TOTAL KNOWN LIFE’S WORK BETWEEN 30 AND 40 PAINTINGS from time of birth until wedding, no mentionof him—re dues paid, only matter of what would have been a few hundred dollars to register, so either he really didn’t much care, or he was in very bad financial straits—no master for vermeer known, nothing about training or apprenticeship, commissions, sales, or early career
- #13: TOTAL KNOWN LIFE’S WORK BETWEEN 30 AND 40 PAINTINGS from time of birth until wedding, no mentionof him—re dues paid, only matter of what would have been a few hundred dollars to register, so either he really didn’t much care, or he was in very bad financial straits—no master for vermeer known, nothing about training or apprenticeship, commissions, sales, or early career
- #14: and tranquility of the scene itself lends meaning of a kind of perfect moral balance
- #15: saw that dutch genre is deceptive, beneath veneer of everyday life, often moralizing meanings, and same can be said for vermeer—so good at the look, so slick and efficient a painter that not nearly as obvious, but often moralizing
- #16: saw that dutch genre is deceptive, beneath veneer of everyday life, often moralizing meanings, and same can be said for vermeer—so good at the look, so slick and efficient a painter that not nearly as obvious, but often moralizing