The Cleveland Museum of Art, like most museums, rotates the paintings in its permanent collection. The museum recently rotated its Dutch School collection, happily bringing into view this little gem by Gerrit Dou.
When I say little, I do mean little. This exquisite painting is a mere 6 3/8″ x 4 3/4.” Take a moment and puzzle-out just how small that is. It’s almost small enough to be considered a miniature.
Dou’s reputation has fluctuated through the years; today he is remembered for being Rembrandt’s pupil, which is apparent in his earlier works.
This example is beautiful. The coloring is clear and transparent. Dou’s touch is masterful. He obviously kept his paintings in-hand for some time but they never looked labored.
This painting is perfectly fresh, almost as if Dou finished it yesterday. Dou was obviously an artist that had near perfect understanding of both the means and ends of art.