6. Still Life Painter Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750) and her Connections to Germany
Anna Cecilia Koldeweij
Still life painter Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750) forged many connections in Eastern Europe throughout her career, especially in Germany. Her most important contact was Johann Wilhelm II (1658-1716), Elector Palatine in Düsseldorf, who employed her as a court painter in 1708. But he was not the only German art collector who was interested in her works. This article will shed some light on Ruysch’s striking popularity in the German-speaking countries from the early 18th century onwards. How did she become famous abroad, and how did her popularity develop over time?1
Cover image
Godefridus Schalcken
Portrait of Rachel Ruysch (1664-1750), c. 1700
Cheltenham, Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, inv./cat.nr. 1899.1.18
Notes
1 The research for this article is part of my PhD research on the artist couple Rachel Ruysch and Juriaen Pool and their networks in 17th century Amsterdam.