Samuel van Hoogstraten (1627-1678), a name to remember. He learned and worked with Rembrandt, in the pupils’ studio of the Rembrandt House. Of all Rembrandt’s students, he became the most successful. During his lifetime, that is. Because, after the 17th century, he was forgotten by the general public, despite the fact that he was a learned artist who constantly experimented with different subjects and optical tricks. He was a pioneer of illusionism: the 3D artist of his time. Later in life, he wrote a famous book full of instruction for new generations of painters. This was his intellectual masterpiece. High time or a renewed introduction.
In this exhibition you will get to know Samuel van Hoogstraten, discover the art of illusion and get to try it out yourself: see past the trickery and create your own optical illusion.
Universal artist
Like his master, Rembrandt, Van Hoogstraten believed that, as a painter, you ought to be able to depict everything. He liked to move between still life, architectural views, scenes from daily life, portraits, and biblical or mythological depictions. There is one subject, however, that is primarily associated with Van Hoogstraten: optical illusion. He was a true pioneer of the painting of trompe l’oeil still lifes, with which he achieved his greatest (international) successes.
Most famous illusion
A highlight of the exhibition is Van Hoogstraten’s Old Man in a Window from 1653. His most famous painting, and an amusing eye deceiver. An old man in life size sticks his head out of a window. Van Hoogstraten precisely rendered all the various materials. Everything looks real. He placed a feather and a slender leaf on the windowsill, on the edge between the painted world and the real one. As if he meant to challenge the viewer to pick them up. Even the monogram and date are part of the visual deception: the text ‘SvH 1653’ appears to have been carved into the bottom right-hand corner of the window frame.
Letter boards
Van Hoogstraten’s letter boards were groundbreaking. He even fooled the Viennese emperor, who reached out to grab an object from one of Van Hoogstraten’s painted letter boards. The items on Van Hoogstraten’s letter boards look like they were brought together by chance. But often they had a very personal meaning for the artist. Therefor a letter board by Van Hoogstraten can be considered a self-portrait as well.
From Vienna to Amsterdam
The exhibition about Samuel van Hoogstraten is part of a diptych, in collaboration with the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. After his success in the Viennese exhibition, Samuel van Hoogstraten travels to Amsterdam. In the Rembrandt House Museum, many special works of art from foreign collections will be on display in the Netherlands for the first time.
With thanks to: Bader Philanthropies, De Turing Foundation en Het Cultuurfonds, Fonds 21, Mastercard, De Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, Blockbusterfonds, De Huysgenoten, Vrienden van Museum Rembrandthuis, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst en Kikkoman.
