None
Swiss cultural life shows strands of German, Italian, and French influence, among others, but its uniqueness is particularly apparent in its art and artists and its museums and other art venues. Here are just seven paintings from that milieu.
Earlier versions of the descriptions of these paintings first appeared in 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die
, edited by Stephen Farthing (2018). Writers’ names appear in parentheses.
Interior of St. Bavo in Haarlem (1636)
The Thirty Years’ War (1618–48) signaled the decline of the Holy Roman Empire and saw Catholic churches across Europe stripped of their ornament to reveal pale, austere interiors. Pieter Saenredam traveled extensively through the Netherlands making precise and accurate drawings documenting the interiors of numerous churches. The church of St. Bavo, where Saenredam would eventually be buried, was one that he painted frequently. Saenredam was acquainted with the architect Jacob van Campen, and it is thought that the artist learned the techniques of architectural drawing from him. Saenredam would make drawings on site, which would then be worked into full-size, mathematically accurate construction drawings in the studio. Often the actual paintings were begun years after the initial drawings were made. Though his work was fundamentally true, he would on occasion, and especially in the latter part of his career, stretch his perspectives to exaggerate the height and magnitude of the interiors for pictorial effect. In