The Netherlands Presents Art Masterpieces in Hanoi with “Blooming Light, Soaking Light”

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Netherlands-Vietnam diplomatic relations, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Hanoi and the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum have come together to co-organize the exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light”, which introduces masterpieces created by Dutch artists from the Golden Age to the end of the 19th century.

The curated exhibition of the Rijksmuseum, the national museum of the Netherlands, is the work of art researcher Do Tuong Linh. This remarkable collection is sure to inspire and captivate visitors from all around the world.

Delegation from the organizing committee cut ribbon to open the exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” (Photo: Trinh Ngoc Anh).

Viewers will be able to experience the beauty, mystery, and power of light as they explore the paintings on display.

Inspired by the poem “We Silver Beings, Misty Light, Plants Growing” by the famous Dutch poet Herman Gorter, the exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” provides a captivating journey into the beauty, mystery, and power of light. Through the works of Dutch master painters, viewers will be able to explore and rediscover different notions of “light”. From the subtle hues of the evening sky to the blazing glow of the sun, these paintings will capture the essence of light and its effects on our world. Be sure to experience this one-of-a-kind exhibition and explore the many wonders of light.

The exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” explores “light” from a symbolic, metaphorical, and technical perspective. Featuring nearly 70 pieces under 5 main themes – Landscape, Still Life, Portrait, Genre Art, and Spiritual Realm – the exhibition recreates and interprets light in Dutch art history, revealing how it reflects the changes in the human perception of reality and the metaphysical world.

Photo: Baotintuc

“Blooming Light, Soaking Light” is an excellent opportunity for the public to enjoy classic works from the Dutch Golden Age – a period from the late 16th century to the 17th century, during which the Netherlands was known for its impressive trade, science, and arts. This was a time of great progress and achievement in the country, and it has since served as an example to the rest of the world.

Dutch art has had a profound and lasting impact on the history of Western art.

From Cornelis van Haarlem and Frans Hals, two renowned masters of portraiture in all of Europe, to female painters like Judith Leyster and Marie Wandscheer, who provided unique still lifes, to figures like Rembrandt van Rijn and Johannes Vermeer, whose works traveled around the globe via trade routes, Dutch art has had a profound and lasting influence on the history of Western art.

Employing a hybrid format, with the combination of fine printing on silk and digital projection, the Exhibition will bring audiences an opportunity to better understand Dutch cultural identities, lifestyles, and beliefs.

The Art Gallery of Jan Gildemeester Jansz, Adriaan de Lelie, 1794 – 1795. Photo: Rijksmuseum

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibition on May 26, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Vietnam, Kees van Baar, expressed his delight to present masterpieces of the Dutch fine arts to the public in the Vietnamese capital city.

Still Life with Peeled Orange and Bunch of Grapes – Albertus Steenbergen. Photo: RIJKSMUSEUM

“The works on display in this Exhibition are a testament to the best of Dutch fine art. I am delighted that you are all here to experience this incredible, hybrid exhibition. Art has the power to bring people together, and that is the spirit of celebrating 50 years of partnership between Viet Nam and the Netherlands this year,” said Ambassador Kees van Baar.

Self-portrait – Vincent Van Gogh. Photo: RIJKSMUSEUM

Johannes Vermeer’s ‘The Milkmaid’. Photo: Sotheby’s

The exhibition “Blooming Light, Soaking Light” is open until 11 June 2023 at Vietnam Fine Arts Museum (Ba Dinh, Ha Noi).