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| | By the mid-19th century the Hermitage possessed a splendid collection of Flemish and Dutch painting whose foundations had been laid in 1769 with the acquisition in Dresden of the celebrated collection of Count Brühl which included twenty works by the 17th-century Dutch artist Philips Wouwerman. The Hermitage's collection of paintings by this artist, one of the largest in Europe, formed in the 18th century when his reputation was at its height. His life-affirming art, marked by a refined painterly palette, exquisite draughtsmanship and keen observation, was in tremendous demand at all the European courts. One of Wouwerman's favourite motifs was a white horse depicted in refined velvety grey tones against a landscape background. The Hermitage collection covers all the subjects to which Wouwerman turned his hand: battle pieces and landscapes, scenes of hunting, relaxation and amusements. |
