There are no religious or mythological paintings here except for the painting, "The Abbe Scaglia Adoring the Virgin and Child" (left). Scaglia was an important patron of Van Dyck's and this commissioned piece is a fine example of how Van Dyck's talents could be put to good use. The catalogue notes the sitter for the Virgin bears a striking resemblance to Marie-Claire de Croz (she does), the subject of another painting in the exhibit. The catalogue further states, "Unfortunately, no documentation has yet explained a connection between the Duchess and Scaglia". As my husband suggested, it may just be that Van Dyck, having recently finished her portrait and needing a face for the Virgin, used hers. Interesting theory, right? The dates certainly bear that out: 1634 and 1635. Sometimes, it's just not that complicated.
The most rewarding moments however, came from seeing three paintings - two of which I had never seen before in person, and one I had probably seen in my travels in Europe many years ago but don't remember.
The first painting is the large portrait of "Marie-Claire de Croz with her son, Philippe-Eugene", (the woman mentioned above) (not shown). The expressions of the sitters are so realistic they look as if they could step right off the canvas. The gesture of the small child is very endearing as he reaches for some trinket or toy that is obviously used to get and keep his attention, while his mother, proud and supremely confident, lovingly fingers the brim of his hat. But for their opulent silk and brocade costumes, this could be a contemporary portrait. No painter today, however, comes close to this kind of mastery.
And lastly, there is the portrait of Van Dyck's beguiling mistress, Margaret Lemon (not shown). Delicately and sensitively painted, it clearly shows how much she meant to the artist. It's no coincidence that it hangs next to the portrait of Van Dyck's wife, "Mary, Lady Van Dyck, nee Ruthven". They invite comparison and speculation about their respective relationships with Van Dyck. Their expressions say it all. His wife has a cold, haughty look, while Margaret's gaze is warm and inviting, with a dose of mischievousness thrown in. The painting had been lost and was only recently recognized as Van Dyck's original. The catalogue states, "In this portrait, long considered lost, Lemon appears in three-quarter profile, delicately touching the fabric at her shoulder. Only recently has this version been recognized as Van Dyck’s original, the source of many imitations. At some point, the canvas was cut down, truncating the gesture of Lemon’s left hand. Private Collection, New York". I just love stories like this. I suppose the signature may have been cut off too, which explains why it went unidentified for so long. Imagine the privilege of having that on your wall! It reminds me of the unbelievable story of the lost Third Imperial Faberge Easter Egg recently discovered by Wartski, a London jewelry firm. But that's a post for another day...
If you can't get to the Frick before the show closes on June 5, make sure you visit their website. It's one of the very best websites ever created: beautifully designed, informative and easy to navigate. It has a complete checklist where you can see every work in the exhibit, as well as the commentary. Visit it at: http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/van_dyck
CMC
P.S. Click on the images in the blog to enlarge them.
P.S.S The sculpture, "The Dead Thrush" is still at the Frick, so make sure you visit the Portico if you go. I had mistakenly written in my first post that it's no longer there. There's also an incredible selection of Sevres Porcelain on display from the Frick's own collection.
P.S.S.S. If you see any glaring mistakes in these posts, please let me know. Did anybody notice I was spelling Van Dyck incorrectly? (Corrected now)P.S. Click on the images in the blog to enlarge them.
P.S.S The sculpture, "The Dead Thrush" is still at the Frick, so make sure you visit the Portico if you go. I had mistakenly written in my first post that it's no longer there. There's also an incredible selection of Sevres Porcelain on display from the Frick's own collection.
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