An Eye for Detail: European Paintings 1500-1900
May 23 - August 23, 2026
European painters have long delighted in capturing the smallest details: the soft fur of a dog, the floral pattern on a plate, the jagged tear in a sleeve. These small touches do more than display artistic virtuosity; they invite us to look closely and discover more.
Drawn from a local private collection, this exhibition brings together remarkable paintings, including portraits and lively scenes of everyday life by well-known artists such as Lucas Cranach, Hans Baldung Grien, Jan Steen, and Thomas Gainsborough.
These artists included details to attract, inform, and amuse. By attending to these elements, we can uncover subtle messages—often clever, sometimes provocative, always captivating.
All works from a private collection.
An Eye for Detail: European Paintings, 1500-1900 was curated by Dr. Meredith Shimizu, Professor of Art History at Whitworth University, assisted by Whitworth University interns: Sophia Anderson, Maura Carrillo, Carissa Cary, and Courtney Mankiller.
Presenting Sponsor: Patty and Jerry Dicker
Supporting Sponsor: Carl M Hansen Foundation
TOP
Lucas Cranach the Elder
Henry IV the Devout, Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Meissen
c. 1534-37
BOTTOM
Follower of Frans Hals
Portrait of an Artist
c. 1620-30s