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Interior with a Girl at the Clavier by Wilhelm Hammershoi.
Hammershoi's use of crisp clean interiors with natural light recalls the 17th century work of fellow Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer. Hammershoi's model is his wife Ida whom he painted many times either from the back or in profile.
Sunflowers by Vincent van Gogh, National Gallery, London.
This painting was done near the end of van Gogh's life. It is full of vibrancy and heavy brush strokes in his dynamic style. There is a museum in Amsterdam devoted only to him as he has become the most famous of the second generation of Impressionist artists.
Wheatfield, 1888 by Vincent van Gogh.
1888 was a busy year for van Gogh he moved down to the South of France where he was energized by the subjects and the natural light, Gauguin came to stay with him which prompted the episode where he cut-off part of his ear, and his beloved brother Theo married.
Girl in a White Kimono (Geesje Kwok), 1894 by George Breitner.
As an example of the influence of Japan in Europe at this time, the young girl wears a kimono in front of a floral screen. Van Gogh was fascinated with Japanese art and culture and was a contemporary (if not necessarily an admired one) of Breitner.
The Night Watch, 1642 by Rembrandt van Rijn, The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
Called the Night Watch in modern times, the original title of this work Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq and Lieutenant Willem van Ruytenhurch was a reference to its main characters. The "golden girl" in the background is a mystery. Considering the very fine clothing she wears, she is assumed to be more than a servant. Also her resemblance to Rembrandt's wife has been noted. The final misinterpretation lies in the name of the work, it was not painted as a night image, but had been covered in layers of brown varnish until it was restored after WW II.
Flower Still Life, 1669 by Maria Oosterwijck.
Dutch Still Life painting has remained a popular genre since it reached it's zenith in the 17th century. The beautiful colors and arrangements continue to attract and amaze people with their realism.
Veronica, 1960 by Elaine de Kooning.
Elaine was training as an artist when she met Willem de Kooning. She continued to work as an artist and art critic for ARTnews. She eventually concentrated on painting portraits.
Susanna Fourment and her Daughter, 1621 by Anthony van Dyck, The National Gallery of Art.
A popular subject - Susanna appears again in another 17th century court painting by Anthony van Dyck.
Fruit Still Life in a Landscape, c. 1872 by Severin Roesen, Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Now that is a selection of fruit.
Still Life (date unknown) by Balthasar van der Ast (c.1593-1656).
The Dutch still life painters concentrated on getting their work to look as close to the real thing as they possibly could. Their backgrounds are often dark and plain in order to feature the objects they are painting.