A mirror of nature : Dutch paintings from the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Edward William Carter

216 Pages·1992·11.4 MB·English

by  Walsh, John, 1937-

1
A Mirror Nature
of
Dutch Paintings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Edward William Carter
John Walsh, Jr., and Cynthia P. Schneider
A Mirror of Nature
is the catalogue of the most distinguished private
collection of Dutch seventeenth-century painting in
North America. Formed in Los Angeles by Mr. and
Mrs. Edward William Carter between 1959 and
1985, the collection comprises masterpieces by
many of the greatest Dutch landscape and still-life
painters of the age. The paintings were first
exhibited publicly together in 1981—82 in Los
Angeles, Boston, and New York and are destined to
become part of the permanent collection of the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art. Since 1981 several
important works have been added to the collection
and are included in this expanded edition of the
1981 exhibition catalogue.
In the pages ofthis book we encounter the great
names of Dutch landscape and marine painting,
from a brilliant winter scene by Hendrick Avercamp
to a great oak tree depicted by Jacob van Ruisdael
with an energy that rivals nature's own. Scenes of
the seacoast, great ships, and sailboats are repre-
sented by Jan van de Cappelle, Adam Pynacker, and
various members of the van de Velde family. Jan
Both transports us to the golden light of Italy, while
Jan van Goyen and Salomon van Ruysdael guide us
along their native rivers and estuaries. Meyndert
Hobbema's picturesque woods contrast with a busy
Amsterdam quayside by Jan van der Heyden or a
quiet church interior by Pieter Saenredam. Even
Aelbert Cuyp's Holy Family takes second place to
the magnificent river and mountain landscape that
shelters their flight to Egypt.
The special character of this collection is that its
artists depicted the world around them. Thus the
domestic world is mirrored too in exquisite flower
paintings by Ambrosius Bosschaert, Dirck de Bray,
and Jan van Huysum, which in turn make colorful
contrasts with the pleasures of the table represented
by Pieter Claesz., Willem Heda, or Clara Peeters. All
the preciousness of Dutch artists' loving gaze is
summed up in Adriaen Coorte's bowl of wild straw-
berries, topped with a sprig of blossom.
COVER
Janvan Huysum (1681-1749)
BouquetofFlowersinan Urn (detail), 1724
Oilonwood
5iV>X 13%in. (80X 59.6cm.)
PartialgiftofMr. and Mrs. EdwardWilliamCarterinhonor
ofthemuseum'stwenty-fifth anniversary
M.91.164.1
'*\<.

A
perfect painting is like a mirror ofNature,
that causes things that are not there to appear,
and that deceives in an acceptable, amusing,
and praiseworthy way.
—
Samuel van Hoogstraeten, Inleydnig
totdehoogeschoolederschilderkonst,
Rotterdam, 16-8

A Mirror Nature
of
Dutch Paintings from the Collection of
Mr. and Mrs. Edward William Carter
JOHN WALSH, AND CYNTHIA SCHNEIDER
JR., P.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
in association with
Cross River Press
A Division of Abbeville Publishing Group
New York • London • Paris
This edition is published in conjunction with the exhibition
A Mirror ofNature: Dutch Paintings from the Collection
ofMr. andMrs. Edward William Carter at the Los Angeles
County Museum of Art, October zz, i99Z-January 17, i993-
This exhibition was made possible through the generosity of
the California Press Bureau, Lee Soble-Publisher, in celebration
of its forty-seventh anniversary and as part of its program in
supportofthe arts.
First published in 1981 by the Los Angeles County Museum of
Art, 5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90036.
Second edition published in 199Z by the Los Angeles County
Museum of Art in association with Cross River Press, a division
ofAbbeville Publishing Group, 488 Madison Avenue, New
York, New York loozz.
Copyright © 1981, 1992 by Museum Associates, Los Angeles
County Museum ofArt. All rights reserved under international
copyright conventions. No part of this book may be repro-
duced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any
information-storage or -retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publishers.
Printed and bound in the United States ofAmerica.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Waish,John, 193--
A mirrorotnature Dutch paintings fromthecollcLtionofMr. and Mrs.
: —
EdwardWilham Carter John Walsh,Jr.,Cynthia P. Schneider. mded.
p. cm.
"Thisedition ispubhshedmconjunctionwith theexhibitionatthe
LosAngelesCountyMuseumofArt,Octoberzz, iggz-January 17, i993-"
Includesbibliographical references.
—
ISBN0-8-58--16--4 iL.AC.MAj. ISBN 1-55859-445-0 (CrossRiver
Press)
— —
I. Pain—ting,Dutch —Exhibitions, z. Painting,.Modern I7th-i8th
centuries Netherlands Exhibitions. 3. Carter, EdwardWilliam,
— —
1911- .Artcollections Exhibitions. 4. Carter,EdwardWilliam,
— — —
Mrs. Artcollections Exhibitions. 5. Painting Private
— — —
collections California LosAngeles Exhibitions. 1. Schneider,
Cynthia P. II. LosAngelesCountyMuseumof."Vrt. 111. Title.
ND646.W16 I99Z
—
759.949Z'09 '03ZOT4-79494 dczo 9Z-19590
CIP