Breezing through Dutch Art Trivia Quiz

Answer: Johannes Vermeer

Johannes Vermeer is famous for his paintings of regular provincial life. Recognized as one of the Dutch Masters, Vermeer's work gained acclaim only in the 19th century. "Girl with a Pearl Earring" depicts the side profile of a young girl. She is wearing a head scarf and a pearl earring in the one ear that is visible to the viewer.

It can now be seen in the Mauritshuis art museum in The Hague, Netherlands.

Answer: Hieronymus Bosch

Hieronymus Bosch is known for his illustrations depicting religious concepts. "The Garden of Earthly Delights", a triptych altarpiece, is one of his best known works. This piece is an oil painting on oak and consists of three panels, with scholars unsure of the intent - a warning, admonition or evocation of life's temptations and sexual indulgence.

Answer: Jan Steen

Jan Havickszoon Steen was born in Lieden and is known for his paintings that are full of colour and life. His lively form of art gave rise to a Dutch proverb where a Jan Steen household meant a messy, chaotic household. "The Feast of Saint Nicholas" shows a household celebrating this feast. The painting can be found in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Answer: Frans Hals

Frans Hals was born in Antwerp when it was part of the Spanish Netherlands. However, he lived and worked in Haarlem for most of his life. He is best known for his portraits. "The Merry Drinker" comes across as a portrait of a man caught in the middle of a conversation. It is so named because he holds a drink in one hand. This painting can be viewed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Answer: Hendrick Avercamp

Hendrick Avercamp was born in 1585 in Amsterdam. He is best known for his winter landscape paintings. His choice of landscape can be explained by the fact that he was active during one of the coldest periods called the Little Ice Age. "Winter Landscape with Skaters" shows a multitude of people skating on a frozen river.

Answer: Rembrandt

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is considered one of the greatest visual artists and the more important in Dutch history. His works covers many themes and a wide range of styles. "The Night Watch" was originally titles "The Militia Company of Captain Frans Banning Cocq" and shows musketeers stepping into bright sunlight from a gloomy courtyard.

Answer: M C Escher

M C Escher worked using mathematics and nature as a basis for his art. The "Tower of Babel" is a woodcut depicting the attempt of Babylonians to build a tower to reach God. The piece is based on the biblical story related in Genesis whereby work on the tower stopped due to the workers becoming unable to understand each other.

Answer: Vincent van Gogh

The Post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh created over 2000 artworks in around a decade. The use of bold colours and an expressive style of painting helped to build the foundations of modern art. "Sunflowers" is the name of two series of paintings by van Gogh, not just a single painting.

Answer: Judith Leyster

Judith Leyster is now classified as one of the Dutch Golden Age painters. Her work includes portraits and still life paintings. All of her work was initially attributed to fellow Dutch painter, Frans Hals or to her husband, Jan Miense Molenaer. It was only in 1893 that she was first recognized as a painter in her own right; over the years many of her works that had been attributed to others were re-classified as being done by her.

"The Serenade" is one of the first seven paintings that were correctly identified as having been created by Leyster. This was done by Hofstede de Groot, a Dutch art historian in 1893. "The Serenade" shows a musician playing the lute with his face illuminated by the light of a candle. While it was first part of a private collection, it can now be viewed in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Answer: Jan Toorop

Jan Toorop was a Dutch-Indonesian painter who worked in many styles, with his early works influenced by the Impressionist artists of the era. Toorop was born and schooled in Indonesia before moving to the Netherlands at a young age. "Broek in Waterland" is an image depicting the Dutch village at twilight and was acquired by the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 2002.