How did painters and their public speak about art in Rembrandt’s
age? This book about the writings of the painter-poet Samuel van
Hoogstraten, one of Rembrandt’s pupils, examines a wide variety of
themes from painting practice and theory from the Dutch Golden Age. It
addresses the contested issue of ‘Dutch realism’ and its hidden
symbolism, as well as Rembrandt’s concern with representing emotions in
order to involve the spectator. Diverse aspects of imitation and
illusion come to the fore, such as the theory behind sketchy or ‘rough’
brushwork and the active role played by the viewer’s imagination. Taking
as its starting point discussions in Rembrandt’s studio, this unique
study provides an ambitious overview of Dutch artists’ ideas on
painting.
The Visible World was awarded the Jan van Gelder Prize in 2009.
“Thijs
Weststeijn’s book … is destined to become one of the principal bibles
for those who even remotely wish to read and understand Samuel van
Hoogstraten’s thinking … written in clear, elegant language”, Jan Blanc
in Simiolus 33/4 (2007-8).
“By asking purposeful questions about
Dutch Baroque art theory and Van Hoogstraten’s place within it, Thijs
Weststeijn has provided convincing and thoughtful answers, and made a
most appreciated and masterful contribution to the field.” Amy Golahny
in Sehepunkte 10 (2010), nr. 6.
“[Weststeijn] shows persuasively
how Van Hoogstraten’s Inleyding is rooted in the tradition of classical
rhetoric and philosophy … Chapters about aspects discussed in detail in
the Inleyding, such as pictorial imitation, coloring and the depiction
of emotion, reveal that Van Hoogstraten’s perspective on the theory of
art was an idiosyncratic one … Weststeijn supposes at various moments in
his book that Samuel van Hoogstraten wanted in particular to provide a
legitimation for Rembrandt’s painting practice by writing down the ideas
that he must have heard in the latter’s studio.” Bram de Klerck in NRC
Handelsblad, 13 February 2009.
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