Among the many treasures of The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is its remarkable collection of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Flemish paintings - more than five hundred in all - including key works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, Snyders and Teniers. Forming the core of the Hermitage's Flemish collection, these were acquired from all over Europe by the Empress Catherine II. From the foundations laid by her, the collection has continued to develop. The major works have been catalogued previously, and are well known, but this magnificent volume is the first to provide detailed information in English with illustrations for every work. More than 140 artists are represented in the collection, and all are included in this complete catalogue, which provides a comprehensive picture of the golden age of Flemish painting, covering not only the oeuvres of the great masters but also those of more everyday figures. There are individual illustrated entries for every work, accompanied by detailed indexes and provenance information that provides a unique insight into the history of collecting in Russia. Forthcoming volumes in this series will include British, later Italian and Dutch seventeenth-century painting.
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