Acrylic Paintings | GUSTAV YKEMA'S ARTWORK

Het Straatje

(The Little Street)

Painted by Johannes Vermeer in 1657-1658. original oil on canvas. 21 3/8″ x 17 3/8 inches

Painting hangs in the Rijks Museum in Amsterdam the Netherlands

Owner is Pieter van Ruijven

The painting is of a contemporary street in 17th century Delft. The houses no longer exhist. The location is debated to be the Voldersgracht or the Nieuwe Langendijk 22-26. The latest update says it to be the Vlamingstraat 40 and 42. This property on the right is said to belong to Vermeer’s aunt Ariantgen Claes van der Minne. She had a business selling tripe. The passegeway beside the house was known as the Penspoort or Tripe Gate. Vermeer’s mother and sister lived on the same canal diagonally opposite from this address.

Vermeer lived from 1632-1675 and his known works amount to 36 pieces.

The question why I decided to paint this work of art.

Visiting the Rijks Museum the original made such an impression on me that I wanted to be able to experience the journey of creating such a piece, in my own way, and to have it hang on my wall to enjoy since the Rijks Museum was not just around the corner to visit.

Johannes Anthonie Balthasar Stroebel

July 1,2025

Stroebel was an artist teacher 1821-1905

original was oil on panel 1880

I made this with acrylic on paper 18 in x 24 in.

I felt the need to highlight this not so known Dutch artist and experience the process of completing a painting in this genre. I was given an old frame from a fellow artist and felt this painting would be appropriate to match to.

de Struisvogel Kiezersgracht en Berenstraat

Oranjestad Aruba

Vacationing in one of the ABC islands you experience beautiful weather and beautiful beaches. in the capitol city of Aruba, Oranjestad, you will experience sites such as this. The colours and shapes of this square inspired me to paint it.

Reestraat, Prinsengracht, Westerkerk Amsterdam

The WesterKerk is where my parents were married. The tower is adorned with the crown of Maximillian I of Austria (Archduke of Austria, German King, Holy Roman Emperor 1493-1519, the Habsburg family) and since 1498 Amsterdam was permitted to show the crown. Bicycles outnumber the population, but not the only means to get around, electric scooters are popular as well.

Basilica of Saint Nicholas

52deg22’35.3n4deg54’4.1″E

Located in Amsterdam, part of the old city built in 1887; Architect Adrianus Bleijs. Neo Baroque/ Renaissance. Roman Catholic, in 2021 it received the relic of St. Nicholas from Egmond Abbey. It is said to be a fragment of the Saints’ rib. This bone has been in the custody of the Abbey since 1087.

On the harbour side of Amsterdam the sailing ships would come in laden with goods/ spices from far away lands/ colonies such as Indonesia the Americas. the goods would be unloaded onto smaller ships transported to the pakhuisen or to other parts of europe.

Scheierstoren ( Weeping tower) in this picture, with cone roof, called so they say is where the woman would wave fairwell to their husbands who manned the ships leaving port, not to see them for months, even years. Once part of the medieval wall which circled the city in the 15th century ( 1481 ). In truth, the name was given to this building because it was built with sharp angles.

This scene shows the driving force of Amsterdam and the results thereof. Religion; Hard work, enginuity and Sacrifice (acquiring of ships and goods and the movement thereof ); Storage of goods ( the houses of the merchants, living quarters on the lower levels, storage on the upper floors); Business sense ( accumulation of wealth and power ).

Henry Hudson set sail to North America on the ship De Halve Maen ( half moon ) in 1609.