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February 2000

Face Value

Collection of 17th century Flemish portraitist, Anthony van Dyck

One of the greatest Flemish painters of the 17th century, Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) was second only to his mentor Peter Paul Rubens. The Alte Pinakothek in Munich houses one of the largest permanent collections of paintings by van Dyck. Four masterpieces by this celebrated artist are currently on loan from the Prado in Madrid, the National Gallery in London, from the Princely Collections in Vaduz Castle, Liechtenstein, and from the collection of the Count of Schönborn in Pommersfelden, temporarily enhancing the Alte Pinakothek’s van Dyck collection. Throughout the artist’s life, he strove to attain Peter Paul Rubens’ renown and status in the art center of Antwerp where he became Rubens’ assistant in 1618. Both artists clearly benefited from the collaborative arrangement, of which the painting Achilles and the Daughters of Lycomedes, on loan from the Prado, is a product. Although this work is clearly Rubenesque in composition and in the treatment of the human figure, later paintings by van Dyck reveal a more subdued and less “fleshy” composition. Once van Dyck had established a name for himself, he left Rubens’ workshop for Italy to study the great Italian painters who had influenced the work of so many of his contemporaries. The young artist immersed himself in the study of Titian, but also used his sojourn in Italy to further his reputation. Because he painted lavish portraits of Italian merchants and nobility, he was viewed with contempt by many of his fellow Flemish painters in Italy. In 1627, van Dyck returned to Antwerp and, known as the preeminent portrait painter of the aristocracy, worked for the royal courts in Brussels and The Hague. An inventory taken in 1780 revealed that portraits made up over 70 percent of his oeuvre — a fact well represented in this exhibition. The expressions and poses of his subjects readily convey their temperaments, while their social standing is suggested in the detailed treatment of their dress and objects of personal adornment. A trip to the medieval section on the ground floor of the Alte Pinakothek provides further insight into van Dyck’s style. Compare the painting Susanna and the Elders by Hans Schöpfer the Elder from the 16th century to van Dyck’s treatment of the same topic one century later in his painting Susanna in Bath. While the emphasis in the medieval version was on portraying the complete story down to its gruesome end, van Dyck takes a more human interest in this biblical story. The fear and shame of Susanna, who desperately tries to shield her body from the stares of the elders, dominate the picture. Her white body, draped in a red cloth that she clutches with one hand while the other covers her breasts, provides a stark contrast to the dark tones of the rest of the picture and of the robed elders. Hypocrisy and vulnerability can hardly be portrayed more aptly and it is no longer clear that the elders will meet their just punishment. The exhibition runs through February 27, but the wonderful collection of van Dyck’s paintings in the Alte Pinakothek will remain in place, affording a fine overview of the work of this great artist. A small catalog of the paintings in the exhibition is available in English and German in the bookstore of the Alte Pinakothek. <<<

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