Un Univers Intime - Paintings in the Frits Lugt Collection

The full scope of the Frits Lugt Collection - Fondation Custodia will be on dsplay for the first time at the Institut Néerlandais in Paris.

Expanded in the last two years, including an acquisition of nearly 60 oil sketches on paper from the bequest of Carlos van Hasselt (1929-2009), former director of the Fondation Custodia, the exhibition brings to the public a wealthy selection of 115 paintings, including masterpieces of the Dutch Golden Age, together with Flemish, Italian, French and Danish paintings, from a collection created gradually, with great passion and discernment, over nearly a century.

Recognized by its the Dutch Golden Age paintings that included works from Nicolaes Berchem (1620-1683), Jan van Ravesteyn (c. 1572-1657), Jan Lievens (1607-1674), Hendrick Avercamp (1585-1634), Ambrosius Bosschaert the Younger (1609-1645), Nicolaes Maes (1634–1693 (buried)) and Jacob Vrel(active around 1654-1670), the Frits Lugt Collection spans a range of famous works by renowned artists such as the British Richard Parkes Bonington (1802-1828); Martinus Christian W. Rørbye (1803-1848), Johan Thomas Lundbye (1818-1848) and Vilhelm Kyhn (1819-1903) from Danmark; Jacques Linard (around 1600-1645) and Nicolas de Largillière (1656-1746)from France; and the Italian painters Francesco Guardi (1712-1792), Cristoforo Munari (1667-1720), Francesco Guardi (1712-1792) and the famous female artist Sophonisba Anguissola (around 1535-1625).

Visitors will also have the opportunity to view works from the Silver Age, as historians call the Dutch 18th century, that include landscapes and city views by artists such as Jan ten Compe (1713-1761) and Hendrik Pothoven (1725/28-1807), as well as works of the 19th century from Josephus Augustus Knip (1777-1847, (1844-1910) and Jozef Israëls (1824-1911), the last two protagonists of the Hague School caracterized by Dutch landscapes and interiors.
A reference must be made to George Hendrik Breitner (1857-1923), first affiliated to the Hague School, later settled in Amsterdam.
A painter and photographer, friend of Van Gogh, Breitner is one of the major Dutch artists at the close of the 19th century and certainly the most gifted.

The Flemish artists are well repesented through the Brueghel dynasty with works from Jan Brueghel the Elder, often known as the “Velvet” Brueghel (1568-1625) and Jan van Kessel the Elder (1626-1679), grandson of the “Velvet“ Brueghe, in a total of 25 paintings including from David Teniers the Younger (1610-1690) and Pieter Lastman (1583 - 4 April 1633 (buried))

Also included and on display for the first time, are the recently acquired works from Eugène Isabey (1804-1886) and Achille Etna Michallon (1796-1822), the teacher of Corot.

In the last year and a half a great deal of attention has been devoted to the condition of the paintings in the collection and many of the works in exhibition as well as frames were cleaned and restored when necessary, which besides reassuring that the majority of the paintings are very well preserved, it also revealed a lot of information about technique.

Press visit: Wednesday 29 February from 12 pm to 2 pm
Public opening: Wednesday 29 February from 6 pm to 8.30 pm

"Un Univers intime" The Paintings of the Frits Lugt Collection, can be visited at the Institut Néerlandais, Paris, between 1st March and 27th May 2012 (Tuesdays to Sundays, from 1 pm to 7 pm).

Admission: Adults 6 €, Discount 4 €.