The exhibition In Full Bloom opens today in the Mauritshuis in The Hague. The museum is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year. For the start of this celebration, they have chosen a very festive subject, namely flowers.
17th century paintings
In the 17th century a completely new genre of painting emerged in the Netherlands. It was the time when flowers from all over the world reached the Netherlands and they were intensively studied. Accurately capturing these flowers resulted in beautiful books full of tulip images and huge paintings with impossible bouquets. Impossible because these paintings depict floral arrangements with flowers from different seasons. With daffodils next to peonies, peonies with unusually long stems, bouquets so heavy that the vase could not hold them, and bouquets of flowers that together cost several annual salaries. However, they do give a beautiful botanical representation of the flowers that were painted very accurately.
Women painters
Another special feature was that these paintings were also painted by women. In the 17th century it was very common in the Netherlands that as a married woman you took care of your family and did not have a paid job. Painting was generally also an exclusively male profession. Fortunately, there were also women who thought differently and shared their beautiful painting with the world. In the end it was also an added value, flower still life painted by women such as Rachel Ruysch, Maria van Oosterwijck and Michelina Wautier were paid dearly.
The exhibition starts with several early flower paintings from the 16th century. Then the botanical revolution is described with beautiful drawings of the plant books that were written at the time. The development of the flower still life, as a typical Dutch genre, is described based on both male and female painters. Botanical artists are also discussed, creating a beautiful exhibition with an abundance of flowers.
Pay particular attention to the beautiful, purple-colored wall. A laminate was made for the walls in which Rembrandt tulips were incorporated. After the exhibition, these walls will also be sustainably processed into furniture.
The Mauritshuis
The Mauritshuis museum is also beautifully decorated on the outside with a waterfall of flowers that will be expanded in the coming weeks and the flower boxes on the forecourt provide a mini Keukenhof experience.
After seeing the exhibition In Full Bloom you can also view the other masterpieces in the collection. Think of eleven paintings by Rembrandt, but also the Gold Finch by Fabritius and the View of Delft and the Girl with a pearl earring by Johannes Vermeer, all in the Mauritshuis museum.
Attention for people with a floral first name such as Leila, Rose, Zahra, Madelief, Senna! From 14 to 20 March 2022, anyone with a flower first name can enter the Mauritshuis Museum for free. (Please reserve a time slot).
The exhibition can be seen until 6 June 2022 and is an absolute must for flower lovers. Tickets are available here.
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