Sir Anthony in Londen [ 1 ]

Van Dyck and Britain – Tate Gallery London t/m 17 mei 2009

Sir Anthony en Sir Alma zijn naar mijn weten de enige twee schilders uit de Lage Landen die het in tot Sir hebben geschopt (beter gezegd: die in Engeland tot Sir geslagen zijn). Ze worden meer als Engelse schilders gezien dan als schilders uit Vlaanderen en Friesland die beiden in Antwerpen hun artistieke vorming hebben gehad.

Van Dyck 1633
Sir Anthony van Dyck zelfportret uit 1633
Is Anthony van Dyck a British artist? The question may seem obtuse since he was born in the southern Netherlands and trained in Antwerp. On the other hand – and much to some people’s surprise – the New Dictionary of National Biography recently allocated him the second longest entry for a British artist after Turner, and therefore ahead of Hogarth, Gainsborough and Reynolds. Such rankings and classifications may appear faintly absurd, but they mask a serious issue, even though it may seem more important to consider where an artist worked, and for whom, rather than how he or she may fit into the traditional scheme of a national school.
Bron: tate.org.uk

Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) was born and trained in the great art centre of Antwerp. He made a brief visit to London in 1620-21 before returning in 1632 to King Charles I’s court. Intensely ambitious and hugely productive, he re-invented portrait-painting in Britain, retaining his pre-eminence until his premature death at the age of 42. Working in a period of intense political ferment during the run-up to the British Civil War, van Dyck portrayed many of the leading characters of the period. His iconic portraits of King Charles I have shaped our view of the Stuart monarchy, while the compositions he used influenced many future generations of British painters ( Bron: tate.org.uk )

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