11.06.2025-04.15.2026
DUTCH CARAVEGGESQUE PAINTINGS
In the 17th century, Dutch Caravaggesque painters, influenced by the Italian master Caravaggio, transformed art through their bold use of light and shadow. Artists like Gerrit van Honthorst and Judith Leyster integrated realistic and emotional themes, capturing everyday life with dramatic intensity.
Van Honthorst, for instance, is renowned for his nocturnal scenes illuminated by natural light sources, creating an almost theatrical atmosphere. Judith Leyster, one of the first recognized female painters, dedicated her work to domestic life and portraits while remaining true to Caravaggesque techniques.
Together, these artists not only enriched the artistic landscape of their time but also paved the way for new expressions of the human condition.
Image
Carstian Luyckx (Antwerp 1623 – after 1657)
A vanitas still life with an hour glass, a candle, a lira da braccia and bow, a deck of cards, dice, a musical manuscript, a skull crowned with a laurel wreath and other objects on a partially draped table
Oil on canvas, 60.3 x 51.4 cm