Carel Fabritius 1622-1654

On October 12th, 1654 exploded the Delft powder magazine. For painting this explosion had major consequences: one of the most talented artists of his time, Carel Fabritius, was killed in this terrible accident. His studio, which was nearby the powder magazine, was wiped out. As a result, only a small number of his paintings survived. Due to the quality and originality of the remaining work Fabritius is nevertheless among the true greats of the Dutch Golden Age. His phenomenal, smooth brushwork made him Rembrandt's most gifted pupil, while its subtle treatment of light and bright palette had a huge influence on Johannes Vermeer's work.