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Downstairs VII

 

Historic cellar

This time, I only had to cross the backyard to visit the house from 1751, now the Sorgdrager Museum. There is a well-preserved original cellar underneath the house floor that was used for cold storage. The walls and floor of the cellar are covered with traditional orange and green glazed tiles, which makes the light reflect in a unique way. 

I love the way the natural light, spreading and reflecting through the only small window, mixes with the artificial light from the lamps, creating nice and deep shades and changing the colours of the tiles. 

This is the effect I tried to capture in my painting. This will be the seventh interior in the Downstairs series.  

Update December 2024: This painting is selected for the Wintersalon 2025 at Pictura Groningen.
    
Oil on panel 25 x 35 cm, alla prima, limited palette.  

View the finished painting in my gallery.





Exhibitions:
- Driedaagse Expo at het Stalhuus. June 2024, Hollum
- Pictura Groningen - De Wintersalon. January to March 2025, Groningen
- Museum Sorgdrager. July to December 2025, Hollum

Acquired by the Stichting Amelander Musea in December 2025 for its museum collection. 

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