The Dutch painters of the 17th century are considered outstanding artists, having created some of the world's most beautiful paintings. These include Paul Rubens, Rembrandt, Jan Steen and Johannes Vermeer. But a few decades before these great masters, another artist stood out in the world of Dutch art...
The Fondation Custodia invites us to discover Jacobus Vrel, through an exhibition organized from June 17 to September 17, 2023. This retrospective will shed light on this little-known artist in France, with 22 paintings and one drawing by the painter, as well as a selection of works from the golden age of Dutch painting.
Jacobus Vrel is an artist shrouded in mystery. Little is known about his life, with only 45 works attributed to him in all... Yet. Indeed, for a long time, many of his paintings were attributed to Johannes Vermeer. The two men share the same initials, a similar style, the same taste for contemplative scenes or portraits of women... The Fondation Custodia is therefore seeking to unravel some of the secrets surrounding Jacobus Vrel, to restore him to the glory he deserves.
This exhibition invites us to admire half of Vrel's works: we discover a painter fascinated by the everyday that surrounds him, by the beauty of the commonplace. His color palette remains sober, while the play of light lends realism to these scenes of life. Jacobus Vrel chose to immortalize his world, without excessive embellishment or superfluous extravagance.
The painter's interior scenes are quite common, and well represent the 17th-century period in Dutch painting. Nevertheless, the artist at the heart of this exhibition is surprising in more ways than one...
Connoisseurs will be astonished to see the landscapes created by Jacobus Vrel. Images of cities, empty streets, common characters and monochromatic color schemes: quite extraordinary and unusual choices for a painter of his time. Many original elements make Jacobus Vrel a profoundly modern and unclassifiable painter. The exhibition, which includes several paintings by contemporaries of the painter, clearly demonstrates the artist's singularity.
Classic or unusual, the artist's paintings all have in common his ability to convey emotions and feelings. Calm, serene, nostalgic: Jacobus Vrel gently draws us into his fascinating universe, never to be forgotten. A must-see exhibition!
Dates and Opening Time
From June 17, 2023 to September 17, 2023
Location
Fondation Custodia
121 Rue de Lille
75007 Paris 7
Access
Subway Assemblée Nationale
Prices
Etudiants: Free
Tarif réduit: €7
Plein tarif: €10
Official website
www.fondationcustodia.fr
