Aelbert Cuyp (1620 - 1691) was one of the foremost Dutch painters and draftsmen of the seventeenth century. His prolific artistic career spanned the years between i64o and 1665, the golden age of Dutch painting, and his idyllic views of the Dutch countryside have entranced collectors and connoisseurs ever since.

Aelbert Cuyp (1620 - 1691) was one of the foremost Dutch painters and draftsmen of the seventeenth century. His prolific artistic career spanned the years between i64o and 1665, the golden age of Dutch painting, and his idyllic views of the Dutch countryside have entranced collectors and connoisseurs ever since.

Although particularly renowned for his pastoral scenes, Cuyp also painted portraits, biblical scenes, and majestic views of Dutch harbors. He had an extraordinary ability to capture atmospheric conditions, from the golden glow of the late afternoon sun to the brisk wind accompanying a sudden thunderstorm. Indeed, Cuyp’s unique combination of halianate atmospheric effects and native Dutch landscape distinguishes his art from that of any of his contemporaries.

Forty-five of Cuyp’s most distinguished paintings and sixty-four drawings are reproduced here in brilliant color, accompanied by more than 100 comparative illustrations. Their appeal lies not only in the subject matter but also in their distinctive style, for Cuyp infused his arcadian subjects and river views with a sensitivity to light and a darity of form that is firmly grounded in reality.

Published to accompany an international touring exhibition, the book features insightful essays by an international team of curators and scholars that discuss Cuyp’s work in the context of his time, personal background, artistic development, patrons, use of costume, and artistic techniques.

Lenders to the Exhibition

Note to the Reader

Directors’ Foreword

Acknowledgments

Essays

Aetbert Cuyp and the Depiction of the Dutch Arcadia

Aristocratic Imaginings: Aetbert Cuyp’s Patrons and Collectors

Cuyp’s Horsemen: What Do Costumes Tell Us?

Pigments and Color Change in the Paintings of Aetbert Cuyp

The Beauty of Hottand: Aetbert Cuyp as Landscape Draftsman

Catalogue

Paintings

Drawinos

Bibliography

Exhibitions

List of Works in the Exhibition

Photographic Credits