Spring at the Kunsthalle Bremen is all about Netherlands art. It gets underway with the exhibition Cool Light and the Open Sea with Dutch and Flemish drawings from the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries from the museum’s holdings. Following a multi-year restoration project supported by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung, a selection of these over 900 largely unknown works will be presented for the first time. In addition to landscapes, imposing windmills, and thunderous seascapes, enchanting figure studies, earthy tavern scenes, and highly detailed histories can be seen. The range of artists on display – from Jacob Jordaens, Anthony van Dyck, Willem van de Velde and Jan van Goyen to Jacob van Ruisdael and artists from Rembrandt’s circle – reflects the impressive diversity of Netherlandish drawing.
In addition, the show will take a look at aspects of the restoration process and examine issues dealing with materials, such as the popular blue paper, drawing utensils, brushes, ink and chalk. Furthermore, it will present the various uses of drawings: squared and traced preliminary drawings for engravings, studies of details for paintings, the very first sketches of ideas, and completely executed works intended for sale. A special highlight will be drawings displayed to reveal their exciting reverse sides to visitors for the first time.
For more information, please see the website of Kunsthalle Bremen.
Hendrik Kobell (1751-1779), Seascape, 1767
Kunsthalle Bremen