Ottoman vistas
The research on Paleis Het Loo’s Grand Staircase mural has begun. The second largest contiguous painting in the Netherlands was originally designed by Daniël Marot, and executed by court painter Robert Duval.
The painting depicts a colonnade, with glimpses of a distant vista. Lavishly dressed men lean against the balustrades as they chat and enjoy the view. In 2022 researcher Răzvan Rusu studied the men in the mural, and discovered that they are probably archetypal figures from the Ottoman Empire. These people probably did not exist, therefore. This makes the question of why they occupy such a prominent position in the palace all the more interesting. The research will continue in 2025, focusing among other things on how the figures in the mural relate to the context of politics and trade at the time of Willem III.
Reconstruction and conservation
The reconstruction by Willem Adrianus Fabri in the twentieth century will also be examined. What was preserved, and what did he interpret differently? The research will help us better understand the historical and symbolic meaning of the painting. It will also help with the following round of conservation work on the mural, which is due to start in 2026.
With the support of the Rembrandt Association (courtesy of its Ekkart Fund).
