Pieter Saenredam, The Utrecht Work: Paintings and Drawings by the 17th-century Master of Perspective [Hardcover]

Lisbeth M. Helmus (Editor, Introduction), Arie de Groot (Contributor), Geraldine van Heemstra (Contributor), Michiel C. Plomp (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 9, 2002

Pieter Saenredam (1597-1665) was one of the magical painters of 17th-century Holland, a time known as the Golden Age of Dutch Art. He spent his career immortalizing the churches of Holland in drawings and paintings. Working through a series of perspective drawings to the finished painting, he made innumerable fine adjustments to architectural details to create what may be justly called spaces of wondrous perfection of proportion and luminosity.

Pieter Saenredam, The Utrecht Work is published to coincide with an exhibition of Saenredam's drawings and paintings, originally held at the Centraal Museum, Utrecht, and on view from April 16 through July 7, 2002 at the Getty Museum. This elegant volume brings together more than sixty drawings and paintings depicting the beautiful and historically venerable churches of the Dutch city of Utrecht.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Liesbeth M. Helmus is curator of fine arts prior to 1850, Centraal Museum, Utrecht. Arie de Groot is an architectural historian. Geraldine van Heemstra is paintings conservator, Royal Collection Trust, London. Michiel C. Plomp is associate curator of drawings and prints, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: J. Paul Getty Museum; 1 edition (May 9, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892366656
• ISBN-13: 978-0892366651
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #522,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, Magnificent , and Serene, August 1, 2002

By 

James D. Ahrens "z2" (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pieter Saenredam, The Utrecht Work: Paintings and Drawings by the 17th-century Master of Perspective (Hardcover)

I first ran into the paintings of Saenredam on a visit to the Netherlands five years ago, and was fascinated by his work. The brilliant use of perspective and the draughtsman-like quality of his work really appealed to me. In it's painstaking quality, it reminded me somewhat of Northern Rennaisance painters. Yet the subject of these works was quite different. Saeredam's church interiors and exteriors have a serenity to them quite different from anything else.

I was very disappointed upon my return to the states because I could find little if anything about this great painter. If you've done a search here, you've seen that the only other books on Saenredam are out of print and hideously expensive.

I was overjoyed when I heard the Getty was bringing in the first major show of Saenredam's works in 40 years. I ordered this catalogue as soon as it was available. I was not disappointed.

This book features excellent reproductions of preparatory drawings and finished works, along with commentary that is interesting to the both the lay audience and those with more expertise. I heartily recommend it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful book on a genius of Dutch painting, April 1, 2007

By 

Claude Reich (Florianopolis, Brazil and Paris, France) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pieter Saenredam, The Utrecht Work: Paintings and Drawings by the 17th-century Master of Perspective (Hardcover)

As far as I know, this is the only publication in English available on Saenredam, one of the great geniuses of Dutch art. It is very well documented (especially on the provenance history of each work), beautifully illustrated (the illustrations include his very rare drawings) and a must-have for anyone interested in Dutch painting of the Golden Age. Saenredam does not just paint churches; he captures the light, the air and the soul of XVIIth century Holland.