This is an amazing collection of late works. I revisited it at least five times - which was made particularly easy by having taken out a membership of the Gallery.
The first and perhaps most haunting room was a small etching self portrait together with four oils. The ageing face of the artist looking out from various walls creating an overall most sobering and poignant effect. The next room had a further self portrait (from Kenwood), as well as the first of two portraits of Lucretia and the striking Conspiracy of the Batavians. Through into the next room was the most incredible sketch of a lion that looked almost contemporary. Then, we had the large portrait of the Amsterdam Drapers' Guild (The Syndics) as well as the pair of portraits of Jacob Trip and his wife - two sobre figures. The latter was the first of several portraits of woman of a certain age, marked out by their determined but in some cases warm expressions. One such was the Old Woman reading, in the next room. This also contained a magnificent portrait of the artist's son, Titus, lost in day-dreaming thought at his desk. The provocative composition had him coming out of the picture frame to join us. This room also contained the well known Jewish Bride. The final two rooms contained a further portrait of Titus as well as the second one of Lucretia and Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph.
Really each of the works was incredible - marked out by a simplicity and dignity. The only picture in the whole exhibition that I didn't care for was that of Frederik Rihel on Horseback.
It was a shame when the exhibition closed. These works had become like old friends!
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