Willem van Alst’s first solo exhibition in Washington

The first solo exhibition dedicated to the Dutch artist Willem van Aelst (Willem van Aelst, 1627-1683), will be held from June 24 to October 14 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington (National Gallery of Art, Washington).

Van Alst is known for his bright and talented still lifes depicting luxurious fruits, fabrics, and prey on the hunt. Elegance and sophistication were a hallmark of the style of Willem van Alst, his work, including 28 paintings, and the only known drawing, are distinguished by their fine finishes, carefully balanced composition, a pearl of palette tones and elegant objects.

Willem Van Alst joined the guild of artists in his native Delft in 1643, at the age of 16, and quickly demonstrated his abilities. Then he went to Paris, where he expanded and improved his skills, working on the capricious and spoiled Paris market. After that, the artist spent almost 10 years in Florence, where he was loved at the court of the Medici. In 1656, Van Alst returned to the Netherlands, where he continued to write in his style for the growing layer of the upper class. Everywhere he was accompanied by love and respect of the nobility, for which he wrote exquisite and luxurious still lifes and hunting scenes, showing his exceptional talent in working with various materials, whether it be glass, velvet, furs or delicate fruits.

Today, the name of the artist is almost forgotten, but in the 17th century he was one of the most famous masters of still life. This exhibition is dedicated to his technical capabilities and is accompanied by the first comprehensive publication of his works. All stages of the artist’s creative development will be presented here in chronological and thematic order in Dutch.

Anna Sidorova