Rembrandt and the Golden Age of Dutch Art

My son and I took in the Rembrandt exhibition at the Dayton Art Institute yesterday. For some reason I expected a small show, but it's a blockbuster and truly awesome. I tried to imagine the very small geographic area of the Netherlands as I studied paintings by the many skilled seventeenth-century artists on display in the show. Room after room of marvelous artworks, curated by subject, beginning with portraits of amazing depth and intelligence. The still lifes are rich and engaging, the landscapes luminous and atmospheric. Genre paintings of biblical times and contemporary life close the exhibit with Rembrandt's "Denial of Peter" as the dramatic finale. Interspersed in smaller spaces between painting exhibits are Rembrandt's etching and engravings, which are a worthy show unto themselves: "amazing" is all I can say about these small works. (Some have magnifying glasses attached to the wall for closer examination--what a great idea. Next time I go to a print show, I'll take my own.) There is still time until Jan. 7 to see the show in Dayton, so don't miss this rare opportunity to see works by the greatest of the great, Rembrandt. The show will move to Phoenix, Arizona and Portland, Oregon. For more about the artists and art, click the link above.