Art News

The Rijksmuseum presents Johan Maurits & Frans Post: Two Dutchmen in Brazil

AMSTERDAM.- Johan Maurits, Prince of Nassau-Siegen, also known as ‘The Brazilian’, served as governor of the Dutch possessions in Brazil from 1637 to 1644. He founded the town of Mauritsstad, commissioned the construction of a splendid palace and led the colony as an enlightened official. Artist Frans Post travelled along with the governor’s entourage, documenting not only military conquests, but also the exotic flora and fauna. His drawings served as the basis for the scientific book by Casper Barlaeus, commissioned by Johan Maurits, which to this day remains one of the most significant books about Brazil. The Rijksmuseum will exhibit 18 paintings and prints by Post and several of his contemporaries, complemented by a unique presentation of parchment manuscripts from Johan Maurits’ palace in Brazil. The exhibition is part of the Brasil Festival, which will be held in