Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Some illustrations have been moved closer to the text that describes them.In such cases, The List of Illustrations cites their original page numbers,however the hyperlinks will take the reader to the new position.
The author's spelling has been kept.
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THE STANDARD GALLERIES
HOLLAND
JAN VERMEERView of Delft
THE STANDARD GALLERIES
HOLLAND
BY
ESTHER SINGLETON
Author of "Dutch and Flemish Furniture, " "Great Pictures
Described by Great Writers, " etc., etc.
WITH FORTY-SIX ILLUSTRATIONS
CHICAGO
A. C. MCCLURG & CO.
1908
Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1908
Entered at Stationers' Hall, London, England
All rights reserved
Published October 10, 1908
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U. S. A.
Preface
When a tourist who, having mapped out his itineraryin accordance with the time at his disposal for aEuropean trip, arrives at a city for seeing which he hasallowed two or three days at the utmost, the first questionhe puts to a fellow traveller, the hotel clerk, or his Baedekeris, "What must I see?"
First, there is the city itself: its streets, bridges, canals,parks, and drives. Then there are famous churches, cityhalls, and other ancient buildings, including city gates andcastles in the immediate neighborhood. Perhaps there is apalace, and most certainly one or more museums of art andantiquities. The tourist gazes his fill on architecture, stoneand wood carving, exterior and interior; but above all hefeels that he must make the best use of his opportunities ofseeing the pictures, the fame of which has spread into allcivilized countries. His time is short. He is thereforegrateful for a guide that will direct him to the beauties andcelebrities of the famous local picture-gallery, and pointout to him the qualities of the paintings as well as tell himsomething of the art of the masters and of the school towhich they belong. It is important first for him to knowwhat he should see, and secondly what he should see in itbeyond the bare facts he can gather from the catalogue.
On returning home with a few photographs of the canvasesthat have struck his fancy, he is also pleased torenew his acquaintance with the gallery in the pages of amodest work that does not go too deeply into art questionsbeyond the grasp of the ordinary layman. Such a guideand companion this book aims to be; it leads the touristrapidly through the most important picture-galleries ofHolland, and points out the pictures that all the world talksabout; and gives some account