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In the spotlight

On view for the first time in the Netherlands:

Quellinus, Lioness suckling her cubs, c. 1640-1650

terracotta, l. 32 cm. New York, The Leiden Collection.

Powerful in marble: Quellinus made impressive portrait busts of Amsterdam mayors, and other influential politicians. Using Quellinus' sculptural style and marble as a material, they underlined their status. Set up at the beginning of the exhibition, in the Civic Hall, the portraits welcome the visitor. Never before have so many important seventeenth-century portrait busts been on display together.

Artus Quellinus, Portrait of mayor Andries de Graeff (1611-1678), 1661, marble, 76 x 76 x 36 kg, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum. Photo: Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

Sint Petrus: Especially for the exhibition, Quellinus' religious masterpiece, Sint Petrus, returns to Amsterdam where Quellinus made it after more than 360 years. Quellinus gave Petrus the classical dignity of a saint and at the same time a deeply felt humanity that immediately touches the viewer.

Artus Quellinus, Saint Peter, c.1659, marble, h. c. 220 cm, Antwerp, St Andrew's Church. Photo: Art in Flanders, Hugo Maertens

Newly ascribed to Artus Quellinus

Quellinus, Dancing and music-making child bacchants and satyrs, c. 1640, ivory, 16 x 10 x 2.5 cm, private collection. Photo: Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

Quellinus, Hercules and the Nemean Lion, c. 1630-1635, terracotta, 75 × 60 × 40 cm, City Collection Antwerp, Rubenshuis.

Artus Quellinus, Model for the head of the river god Amstel in the Tribunal, c. 1650-1654, terracotta, 32 × 17 × 10.3 cm, Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. no. BK-18752; on loan from the City of Amsterdam

Quotes

Claudia Hörster, director Koninklijke Verzamelingen [Royal Collections]: Thanks to extensive research done by the Rijksmuseum, Artus Quellinus's works – in particular his magnum opus in the Royal Palace – gain significance. This deepens our knowledge, enhances our appreciation, and allows us to view his work with fresh eyes. Based on this, we have composed this exhibition with great pleasure – a wonderful interaction of expertise and creativity.

Taco Dibbits, general director of the Rijksmuseum: There is nothing more beautiful than seeing Quellinus’s works displayed in his masterpiece, the Royal Palace Amsterdam. A special thank you to King Willem Alexander for providing the best possible stage for Quellinus.

Contact

Information and press requests

Koninklijk Paleis Amsterdam
Josine Pelleboer
📧 j.pelleboer@dkh.nl

Research en publication

Rijksmuseum
Casper van der Kruit
📧 c.van.der.kruit@rijksmuseum.nl

Partners

This exhibition is made possible with the help of the Mondrian Fund, Don Quixote Foundation, Zabawas, the Netherlands Cultural Fund and the Bert en Joos Mastenbroek Fonds/Rijksmuseum Fund. The exhibition has been supported by the Dutch government: an indemnity grant has been provided by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands on behalf of the Minister of Education, Culture and Science.