Today Sylvia and I visited the Centraal Museum in Utrecht, where we admired the exhibition ‘the Bloemaert-effect’. If one thinks of the Ducht Painters of the ‘Gouden Eeuw’, names like Rembrandt, Frans Hals en Johannes Vermeer quickly pop up. Abraham Bloemaert (born in 1566 in Gorinchem and died in 1651 in Utrecht), however, should certainly be added to such a list. Next to the great range of extraordinary and beautiful paintings Bloemaert produced hundreds of drawings. It is fascinating to see how he, during his lifetime (85 years), kept on growing in his trade, how he grew to become a master, and finally a artist.
Something that really intrigued me was how Bloemaert really was unsatisfied of even unhappy with the training and schooling of painters in his time. To improve these, he made 4 great efforts (next to his own full-time painting).
1. He taught over 100 painters the trade, of whom 33 eventually grew to become masters of their trade.
2. He founded the Sint Lukas schilder-Gilde in 1611, so that painters in Utrecht and surroundings had a platform to develop themselves further in combined strength.
3. He created the content for the ‘Bloemaert Drawingbook’. His son Frederick Bloemaert (a master-painter himself) put the book together in 1650. The book became to be a loved study-book for artists, which was used until the 19th century.
4. Together with the portrait-painter Paulus Moreelse Bloemaert gave painting and drawing lessons in the ‘academie voor kunstenaar’ (another of his ventures).
An impressive investment in the following generations. How incredibly fruitful a master of a given trade can be, when he is willing to invest his time and energy in others. 4 of his own sons: Hendrick, Frederick, Adriaan and Cornelis also got to become ‘master-painters/engravers’.
How, when and where do you invest in young professionals? Or/and are you in training yourself?
An interesting overview of the life and works of Abraham Bloemaert can be found in: ‘Abraham Bloemaert – een geliefde meester’, in het ‘Openbaar Kunstbezit – Kunstschrift’, or via www.centraalmuseum.nl.
A student wrote about Bloemaert: ‘rejoyce Utrecht, rejoice about the festive gathering of painters, allowing, with fiery spirit, to strengthen the love for our trade. Our seigneur Bloemaert, wishes that the least up to the best is driven in his work through joyful diligence. Let your art be the fruit of you diligence, and let it be recognized as accomplished. Art lifts us up and creates.’
Bloemaert was one of the rare artists that were really open for suggestions of their students.
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