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The 17th century

Works made in the 17th century, anywhere in the world.

266 works · hang 8748 ·

The rooms are imagined; every work on their walls is real.

Walk this roomRehang this room

Section 1, north wall

  1. Herbaceous Peony, by Yun Shouping, 1685
    Herbaceous PeonyYun Shouping, 1685Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. An elegantly dressed man and woman ride horses toward us and to our right in a landscape with low, rolling hills, stone buildings, and trees in this horizontal painting. The two horses and riders take up the right half of the composition. Both people have pale skin and look at us. The woman has a high forehead, a straight nose, a round face, and curly blond hair falling to her shoulders. She wears a sapphire-blue dress with slashed sleeves to reveal a white garment beneath. Her hat is adorned with blue and white feathers, and she wears a string of pearls around her neck. The legs of her white horse darken to black below the knees, and the bridle is tied with blue bows near the horse’s ears. The sidesaddle sits on a woven, rug-like blanket. Next to her, to our right, the man rides a larger chestnut-brown horse with a white triangle between its eyes. The man looks at us out of the corners of his dark eyes under gathered brows. He has a long, straight nose and is cleanshaven, though a hint of a five o’clock shadow slightly darkens his cleft chin. His light brown hair falls in curls down past his shoulders, and he wears a dark brown coat with voluminous white fabric rippling out above tan-colored gloves. He holds a riding crop in his right hand, on our left, resting against his hip. Near the white horse’s feet, to our left, a dark brown dog with a white nose sniffs at a plant. Behind it, another reddish-brown dog sniffs the ground near the horse’s back hoof. A third dog stands beyond, partially obscured by bushes and plants growing in the lower left corner of the canvas. A man wearing a tall black, wide-brimmed hat and carrying a long staff leads two slender dogs resembling grayhounds on leashes along the path, a little behind the riders. Two more elegantly dressed men ride horses toward us father back on the path. Sand-colored stone buildings, hazy in the distance, are clustered around a squared tower, possibly a bell tower, to our left. The land dips gently to the horizon line in the deep distance. The riders are silhouetted against a swirling slate-blue cloud that fills most of the sky in the top two-thirds of the painting. The sky clears to pale blue to our left and then warms to golden yellow along the horizon, beyond the buildings. The artist signed the painting near the lower left corner: “A. Cuijp.”
    Lady and Gentleman on HorsebackAelbert Cuyp, c. 1655, reworked 1660/1665Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington

Section 1, south wall

  1. Shaded Dwellings among Streams and Mountains, by Dong Qichang, ca. 1622–25
    Shaded Dwellings among Streams and MountainsDong Qichang, ca. 1622–25Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  2. This is a drawing of mythical sea creatures in a marine landscape. The central figures are depicted as mythical beings, possibly mermen, with human torsos and fish-like tails, partially submerged in water. One figure prominently holds a large seashell with text written on it. Around them are various other marine creatures and features such as a distant rocky shore, birds flying in the sky, and waves creating a dynamic setting. The drawing is detailed in line work.
    Title Page for "Ornamenti di fregi e fogliani"Stefano della Bella, probably 1648Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Still Life with Shells and a Chip-Wood Box, by Sebastian Stoskopff, late 1620s
    Still Life with Shells and a Chip-Wood BoxSebastian Stoskopff, late 1620sCourtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 2, south wall

  1. Samson and Delilah, by Gerrit van Honthorst, c. 1616
    Samson and DelilahGerrit van Honthorst, c. 1616Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. A work made of woodblock print in black ink and watercolor on cream japanese paper.
    The Priest Kobo Daishi at the Tama River in Kii Province from the series The Six Tama RiversTorii Kiyomasu, c. 1725-1735Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago
  3. A work made of oil on panel.
    Breakfast Still LifeWillem Claesz. Heda, 1647Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

Section 2, north wall

  1. Hanging scroll
    The palaces and gate towers of PenglaiZhu Dan, 1683Courtesy of the National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution
  2. Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves: The Three Crosses, by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1653
    Christ Crucified between the Two Thieves: The Three CrossesRembrandt van Rijn, 1653Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, north wall

  1. Danaë, by Orazio Gentileschi, c. 1623
    DanaëOrazio Gentileschi, c. 1623Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
  2. Merrymakers at Shrovetide, by Frans Hals, ca. 1616–17
    Merrymakers at ShrovetideFrans Hals, ca. 1616–17Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Section 3, south wall

  1. This is a drawing of a rural scene with horses and figures. The image shows an interaction between several figures and two horses within a pastoral setting. In the foreground, two individuals are seated on the ground, accompanied by a small child. Nearby, a figure atop a horse reaches towards another figure who leads a laden horse. A dog is present, standing alert at the horse's hooves. The backdrop showcases lush trees and distant hills, suggesting a serene countryside environment. The attention to detail and shading creates a realistic depiction of this rustic scene.
    Robbers on HorsebackJan van Huchtenburgh, late 17th/early 18th centuryCourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  2. The image shows a formal garden or park with a symmetrical view. It is taken from a slightly elevated position, revealing the vast space beyond a foreground of foliage and low-growing plants. The horizon line is positioned near the midpoint, where a tree-lined pathway extends into the distance. Flanking the pathway are two statues on pedestals under leafy trees. The scene is detailed with intricate line work emphasizing textures and forms. The color palette is monochromatic in various shades of brown, creating a classic appearance. Paved steps and a bridge over a small body of water add to the ordered elegance of the garden.
    The Two StatuesAbraham Genoels IICourtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington
  3. Portrait of Nicolas Trigault in Chinese Costume, by Peter Paul Rubens, 1617
    Portrait of Nicolas Trigault in Chinese CostumePeter Paul Rubens, 1617Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art
  4. Brown-tone drawing of a nude woman seated on a small stool, looking downward.
    Seated Female NudeRembrandt van Rijn, 1660/62Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago