5 famous paintings created by Dutch artists

Dutch paintings and artists have a special appeal in people’s eyes. From Biblical scenes to self-portraits, and from symbols of death to mischievous grins, Dutch artists covered all the possible genres. From the ‘Dutch Golden Age’ to times before and after, here we mention 5 famous paintings created by Dutch artists that mesmerise us even today.

Rembrandt van Rijn's ‘The Storm on the Sea of Galilee’ is one of his most dynamic paintings. It is full of movement and drama and shows the Biblical scene where Jesus and his disciples were caught in a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee.
The painting shows a small boat being tossed by huge waves, with the disciples struggling to keep it afloat. The stormy sky, crashing sea, and the terrified expressions of the men create a sense of chaos and urgency.
(Image: Rembrandtpaintings/Website)

​Judith Leyster's ‘Self-portrait’ was done around 1630, and shows the artist as her true self. Lyster was one of the very few female artists of her time, and self-portraits were seen as a great move on an artist’s journey.
In the painting, Leyster is sitting on a chair, her canvas right in front of her and the paint palette in hand. She is looking sideways and has a big smile on her face which shows her happiness while doing the artwork.
(Image: National Gallery of Art/GoogleArts)

Vincent van Gogh's ‘Starry Night’ is one of the most famous paintings in the world. But not many know that van Gogh was Dutch. His masterpiece painting shows a sky outside with swirls and clouds, and a large tree. The use of colour and how bright it all is makes this painting stand out in the crowd. There are deep blue shades, bright yellow, the blackness of the tree, and hints of green.

Frans Hals' ‘Laughing Cavalier’ was painted in 1624, and is a lively portrait that captures the personality and charm of its subject. The subject of the painting is a man who looks like he is in his mid-40s, is wearing a Victorian suit with a hat on his head, and his face has a slight grin on it. It almost seems as if he has cracked a joke to his audience and is waiting for them to understand it and laugh out loud.

(Image: goldsmith_ian/Instagram)

Pieter Bruegel the Elder's ‘The Triumph of Death’ is a horrifying painting that tries to tell people about the inevitability of death. The painting is filled with symbols of death and destruction, and shows what exactly we need to fear about a world plagued by war and disease.
The painting is of a desolate land filled with skeletons, and armies of the dead march through the scene, attacking people from all walks of life.
(Image: Fundacion Elkano/GoogleArts)