Mauritshuis Museum : Art History Hidden Within a Palace

From a Palace to a Museum: The Founding Story of Mauritshuis

The Mauritshuis building was constructed in the 17th century as a residence for the Dutch governor Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen . The structure is considered one of the most refined examples of Dutch classical architecture.

Its architectural features include:

• Symmetrical facade design
• Balanced ratios
• Large windows that let in natural light
• Unpretentious, elegant interiors.

It is located there.

This building was never designed to be a "monumental museum." On the contrary, the Mauritshuis still feels like a home today, allowing visitors to forge a more personal and direct connection with the artworks.

The Main Art Movement of the Mauritshuis Collection

The Mauritshuis collection focuses largely on painting from the Dutch Golden Age (17th century) , a period when the Netherlands reached its economic and cultural peak.

Key elements of this movement include:

• Depicting daily life
• Interior scenes
• Balance of light and shadow
• A quiet but powerful narrative.
• Exceptional attention to detail.

The works at the Mauritshuis don't shout a story at the viewer; they construct a language that unfolds as one looks at it, a language that requires time.

Four Featured Artists at the Mauritshuis

Johannes Vermeer

Vermeer is the first name that comes to mind when the Mauritshuis is mentioned. His works are in perfect harmony with the museum's tranquil atmosphere. His use of light, simple compositions, and the timelessness of the figures give the viewer a feeling of a moment almost frozen in time.

Rembrandt van Rijn

Rembrandt's works profoundly reflect the psychology and emotion in the human face. His use of light in his portraits represents the technical pinnacle of Dutch painting.

Jan Brueghel the Elder

Known for his mastery of detail, Jan Brueghel the Elder enriches the collection, particularly with his nature, flower, and allegorical scenes. His works enhance the quiet elegance of the Mauritshuis through meticulous detail.

Gerard ter Borch

Distinguished by his refined depiction of everyday life scenes, ter Borch skillfully reflects the social relations and interior aesthetics of the period.

Museum Floors and Exhibition Layout

The Mauritshuis is not a museum designed like a large labyrinth. On the contrary, it has a two-story exhibition layout with a deliberate flow .

Ground floor

• Portraits
• Scenes from daily life
• Powerful works by Rembrandt and his contemporaries.
• Works that reflect social life

Upstairs

• Interior scenes, especially those by Johannes Vermeer.
• Compositions based on light, silence, and balance.
• Slower, more meditative atmosphere

This structure offers visitors an experience of slow observation , not "fast consumption."

Why is the Mauritshuis Museum so special?

• To see the world's most iconic paintings without crowds.
• To truly experience the Dutch Golden Age
• To establish a direct and calm relationship with art.
• To understand the power of detail and light.

The Mauritshuis is a museum that describes art not with grand pronouncements, but with whispers .

Mauritshuis Selection at Gige Gallery

The works of these artists, featured at the Mauritshuis Museum, are presented in the Gige Gallery selection as museum-quality fine art prints.

These prints:

• It preserves the color, texture, and light balance of the original artwork.
• Produced with archival-grade fine art paper.
• It offers a timeless and simple aesthetic.

The aim is not just to create an image; it's to bring the feeling of a museum into the space.

The Mauritshuis Influence in Living Spaces

A work from the Mauritshuis selection:

• It creates a quiet but powerful focal point on the walls.
• It adds balance, elegance, and depth to the space.
• It offers an understated yet lasting aesthetic.

Especially in living rooms, study areas, and reading corners, these works define the character of the space.

Having it Like in a Museum

The fine art prints presented at Gige Gallery bring the experience offered by Mauritshuis into your home. These prints are not merely reproductions; they represent a conscious connection with art.

Some works of art multiply the more you look at them.
The Mauritshuis represents exactly that.

Photo by: Gizem Gezen - Date of: 23.06.2023