CODART, Dutch and Flemish art in museums worldwide

Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)

Information

The MFA has deep holdings of Flemish and especially Dutch art across media. Following the remarkable Van Otterloo and Weatherbie promised gift of paintings, the MFA now has high-quality examples in every genre. The Dutch collection is particularly strong in early pictures by Rembrandt, genre scenes, still-lifes, and landscapes. The early Netherlandish pictures are few, but superb, including Rogier van der Weyden, Memling, and Lucas van Leyden. The print holdings are rich, over 5000 sheets. Here, too, Rembrandt is especially well represented. An unusual feature of the works on paper collection is a growing group of Dutch works from the 1890s-1900 period. There are over 700 works of decorative arts, with a strong group of ceramics. Loans on view include fine seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Dutch silver and a doll’s house furnished with period miniature objects. As an encyclopedic museum, the MFA also owns tapestries, musical instruments, and illustrated books.

Chris Atkins, Van Otterloo-Weatherbie Director, Center for Netherlandish Art (January 2020)

Related CODART publications

Diva Zumaya, Michele Frederick and Antien Knaap, “Re-visioning Permanent Collection Installations: The View of Northern European Art from the US in 2022”, CODARTfeatures, February 2022.

Helen Hillyard, “Christopher Atkins Interviewed”, CODARTfeatures, October 2020.

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