Tender female beauty echoes Old Masters in MNHA exhibition
New photography exhibition at MNHA echoes the Old Masters without adding much to the discussion
Pietà by Clara van de Puttelaar is inpired by the Old Masters Photo: Lex Kleren
Carla van de Puttelaar's female nudes form the centre of an exhibition of her work at MNHA, but the sensuality of the subjects cannot make up for an unadventurous approach to defining female beauty.
Born in the Netherlands in 1967, Van de Puttelaar graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam in 1996. Her work in photography has gained international recognition over the years, with pictures appearing in the The New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker as well as books by publisher Random House.
The exhibition of Van de Puttelaar's work at the MNHA – Brushed by Light – showcases a broad collection of photographs spanning the artist's career from her early untitled work to a series of photographs created specifically for her MNHA exhibition.
Influenced by Old Masters such as Rembrandt and Cranach, Van de Puttelaar's work has a keen eye for composition.
In collections such as her Cranach Series (2008), Rembrandt Series (2015) and Old Masters Series (2019) – inspired by paintings by Theodoor van Loon and other Old Masters also on show at the MNHA – the photographer portrays her nude subjects against a black backdrop, allowing natural light to embalm their figures in a stark chiaroscuro that feels at times tender, at times heavy-handed.
Van de Puttelaar's work shows meticulous attention to the subtle inflections of her subjects' skin – whether it be a minor bruise, the slight indentation of a waistband or a chalky swathe of dry skin.
Other images link female beauty with plant life Photo: Lex Kleren
Van de Puttelaar's work shows meticulous attention to the subtle inflections of her subjects' skin – whether it be a minor bruise, the slight indentation of a waistband or a chalky swathe of dry skin.
This attention to detail, while lending her subjects a degree of character and life outside of the meticulous compositions, does little to deviate from the archetypal image of female beauty depicted by the Old Masters.
Photographed largely in subdued repose, with their fair skin exposed through a mess of embroidered robes and linens, Van de Puttelaar's photography reifies the romanticized notion of women as tender, docile subjects.
Taken merely as imitations of the works of old masters, these depictions might be excused as an art historical study of the use of natural light in painting and photography; however, this alone doesn't make for compelling photography. And Van de Puttelaar features this docile image of women throughout her work.
In the exhibition, the naked female is heavily associated with flora in collections such as the Ophelia Series (2017) and Hortus Nocturnum (2014).
In 2012, Van de Puttelaar moved away from female models and started examining the texture of trees and flowers, focusing on their ephemeral nature in a way reminiscent of memento mori still lifes or vanitas paintings.
A large tulip frieze can be found at the back of the gallery, inspired, again, by the compositions of Old Masters, in this case Johannes Bosschaert and Jacob Cuyp.
In the same room as the tulip frieze, visitors can find works from Van de Puttelaar's recent collection, Artfully Dressed: Women in the Art World (2018), a series of portraits devoted to prominent women in the art world.
Michael Reinertz is the art critic of the Luxembourg Times Photo: Guy Jallay
In the same room as the tulip frieze, visitors can find works from Van de Puttelaar's recent collection, Artfully Dressed: Women in the Art World (2018), a series of portraits devoted to prominent women in the art world.
While this room is visually stunning – particularly the glimpses of each portrait in the deep, dark and reflective surface of the tulip frieze – it all feels somewhat shallow and jejune. The juxtaposition of these portraits and the wilted sensuality of the tulips seems to suggest that the potency and prowess of these women resides in their own tender and ephemeral nature.
While this overly sensitive, tender and coy portrayal of the female figure may be more of a consequence rather than the goal of Van de Puttelaar's otherwise meticulous study of the old masters, it ultimately underwhelmes.
For all those interested in visiting, the exhibition will be on display through 18 October 2020. In addition, a virtual tour is available on the MNHA website.
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