A Dutch Courtyard

from the sources

• The painting is an oil-on-canvas work by Pieter de Hooch and the original is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. en.wikipedia.org

  “The original resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.”

• The tower of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft is visible over the palisade, which places the painting in De Hooch's Delft period. en.wikipedia.org

  “Over the wooden palisade to the far left, the tower of Niewue Kerk in Delft is visible, making clear that this painting originates from De Hooch's Delft period”

• The scene shows a pair of soldiers joking with a serving woman in a walled courtyard beside a brick house. en.wikipedia.org

  “In a walled courtyard beside a brick house, a pair of soldiers enjoy banter with a serving woman.”

• Infrared reflectography and visual examination revealed that De Hooch made several changes to the composition while painting. en.wikipedia.org

  “Thorough visual examination and infrared reflectography conducted at 1.2 to 2.5 microns reveal several modifications made by the artist.”

• Infrared imaging in 2019 revealed underdrawings of ship masts next to the Nieuwe Kerk tower. en.wikipedia.org

  “In 2019, infrared imaging revealed unexpected underdrawings of ship masts adjacent to the Nieuwe Kerk tower.”

• The painting underwent a restoration in 2002 that inpainted areas of abrasion. en.wikipedia.org

  “A restoration effort in 2002 addressed these abrasions, involving inpainting to seamlessly integrate them with the overall composition.”

• The Mauritshuis holds an autograph replica of the painting, said to be of lower quality. en.wikipedia.org

  “An autograph replica, said to be of lower quality, is present in the Mauritshuis, The Hague.”

• The painting was given to the National Gallery of Art in 1937 by the A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, to which it had been deeded in December 1934. en.wikipedia.org

  “In December 1934 'A Dutch Courtyard' was deeded to The A.W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust, who gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in 1937.”