The Wallace Collection – The portraits of the Great Hall... (Part II)
8:23 p.m.
01/12/17 - The Great Hall at Hertford House was built between 1872 and
1875, just when Sir Richard Wallace moved the collection from Paris to London.
The large scale of the room, and the natural light coming from the tall
ceiling, made it the perfect venue for the most important masterpieces. Thus,
artists of the likes of Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Velázquez are gathered
together with their contemporaries counterparts, offering visitors a unique
panorama of 17th Century painting. Sir Wallace, aware of the quality of the
artworks on display, decided that this room be the final point in the visit to
the house.
A Woman Holding a Fan (Marie de Rohan, Duchesse de
Chevreuse?), by Diego Velázquez (c.1640)
Technique: oil on canvas / Measures: 95 x 70 cm
The painting above, as most of those at the Great Hall, is a
portrait and was bought by the 4th Marquis of Hertford in 1847. The artist is
Sevilla-born Velázquez (1599-1660), known for depicting the Spanish Monarchy.
This, in particular, in one of the most mysterious portraits of European
Baroque. The woman seems to be rotating, as if she has just been
"caught" by someone while she was having her portrait painted. Her
clothes barely stand out from the grey-ish background. The whiteness of her
gloves and lace, with the blue ribbon with red details, add intensity to a
controlled palette. Velazquez also added a net of vertical and horizontal lines
between the veil, her arm and the edges of her fan, creating a harmonious
rhythm in the painting. The identity of the model is not completely proved and
it will most probably change in the years to come, but the skill of the artist
will remain intact.
Titus, the artist’s Son, by Rembrandt Harmenz van Rijn
Technique: óleo sobre tela / Measures: 68.5 x 57.3 cm
It is believed that this young man, lost in his thoughts, is
Titus, the son of Rembrandt (Netherlands, 1606 – 1669) and, apparently, his
mood is due to the economic difficulties the family had 1656. Anyway, both
theories have not been proved. What we do know is that Dutch artists were
strongly interested in the studies of facial features and costumes, known as
Tronies. This painting is a close-up, which enhances the psychologic complexity of
the subject, resulting in an artwork of greater impact and drama.
Keep reading... The Wallace Collection, Director’s Choice,
by Christoph Martin Vogtherr, 2012, Scala Publishers Ltd., London.
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