The National Gallery of Ireland (NGI) will host a scholarly conference in connection with the landmark exhibition Vermeer and the Masters of Genre Painting: Inspiration and Rivalry. As the originating institution of the exhibition, the NGI will bring together a panel of international speakers who will discuss different aspects of the fascinating network of relationships among Dutch genre painters of the period 1650–1675. While Vermeer is currently the most renowned painter of such scenes, the Delft master was only one of many artists who excelled in capturing everyday surroundings in exquisite detail. Other major genre painters included Gerrit Dou, Gerard ter Borch, Jan Steen, Pieter de Hooch, Gabriel Metsu and Frans van Mieris. Even though these artists were active in different cities in the Dutch Republic, their work bears strong similarities in style, subject matter, composition and technique. They frequently drew inspiration from each other’s paintings and then tried to surpass each other in verisimilitude, technical prowess and aesthetic appeal. This vibrant artistic rivalry contributed to the exceptionally high quality of their combined oeuvre.
Tickets
Conference tickets are available from 12 May 2017. For more information, please see www.nationalgallery.ie