Thomas A. Saunders III Lecture presented by Dr. Ronni Baer
Wednesday, 29 January 2025 (rescheduled from 25 September 2024)
6:30–7:30 pm
Leslie Cheek Theater
$8 (VMFA members $5)
Tickets and live stream: www.VMFA.museum
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts presents the inaugural Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Lecture, presented by Dr. Ronni Baer, the Allen R. Adler, Class of 1967, Distinguished Curator and Lecturer at the Princeton University Art Museum. Dr. Baer will explore work by seventeenth-century Dutch artists Rembrandt van Rijn, Frans Hals, and Gerrit Dou. Paintings by Hals and Dou are currently on view in the Saunders Collection.
Gerrit Dou (1613–1675), Man Writing in an Artist’s Studio (detail), 1631–32
Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Collection, on long-term loan to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
In the seventeenth century, Dutch art theorists discussed two distinct styles of painting: the neat or smooth and the rough or loose. Neat painting was believed to engage the viewer for a long time, delighting the eye. By contrast, the rough style was considered “modern” and said to have the power to move the observer. The audience will be encouraged to look closely at works of art and consider the choices the artists made at the easel. The Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III Lecture is presented by a scholar annually to foster the study and appreciation of European art. It is made possible through the generous support of the Saunders family.