European
The European galleries showcase the strengths of the collection, including areas dedicated to 17th-century Dutch and Flemish painting, 17th-century Italian baroque works, 19th-century French impressionism, 20th-century surrealism and the world’s largest collection of works by Henry Moore in a public institution.
Other European galleries feature installations that address themes such as identity, woman as muse and creator, and nuclear holocaust. In the European galleries these themes are explored alongside works from the Canadian, contemporary, photography and prints and drawings collections, and demonstrate historical and cultural resonances and consistencies.
European Collection Facts
- 44,000 - the square footage of the European galleries, which surround historic Walker Court
- 700 - the number of works in the AGO’s European collection. Approximately 60 per cent is currently on display in the new galleries
- 20 - the number of works in the European collection, including portraits by Rembrandt and Hals, which have been re-framed for historical accuracy
The Thomson Collection of European Works of Art
Get overview information on the Thomson Collection of European Works of Art, which comprises some 900 objects dating from the early Middle Ages to the mid 19th century, and includes The Massacre of the Innocents, by Peter Paul Rubens
Remembering the Rich
A portrait can be more than just the likeness of a person. In the 17th century, portraits were meant to convey a sitter’s status and wealth, values and attitudes, as well as taste and character.
More Than Meets The Eye
How do we know who painted a work of art from the past? Or who the sitter is in a portrait? Or if a work has been damaged, or part of it has been lost?
Painting in the Netherlands
In the 17th century the Netherlands profited from global trade. For the first time, an urban middle class dominated the country ’s economy and culture. Rich merchants acquired paintings of themselves, their families, their homes, their cities and their land to celebrate this new- found wealth and power.
Isaak Massa - A Man of the World
Isaak Massa ( 1586–1643) was a self-made businessman, diplomat, map-maker and author from the Netherlands. Massa commissioned three portraits from Frans Hals, who was a close friend. One of these portraits included Massa’s new wife, Beatrix van der Laen.
Childhood to Old Age
Could this young girl of four already be engaged? Her ring, the little statue (symbol of fertility), the carnations, the fan and the peacock (symbol of Juno, goddess of child- birth) all refer to love and marriage.
Partners
Research and installation of the European galleries are generously supported by:
- Mary Montanari & Peter Marrone
- In memory of Dr. Janice L. Huffman
- J. P. Bickell Foundation
- George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation
Henry Moore Sculpture Centre installation is generously supported by:
- The Henry Moore Foundation