The Precision of the Portrait
In a converted monumental farmhouse on the Bloemendaalseweg in Gouda, the light settles over a studio shaped by history. Here, Carla Rodenberg works. Born in Gouda in 1941, she developed a technical foundation at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. Her practice is defined by a dual focus: the quiet arrangement of still lifes and the psychological weight of the human face. She does not merely capture likenesses; she documents presence.
The shift from the private study of objects to the public gaze occurred through her mastery of the screenprint. This technical precision led to a significant moment in Dutch ceremonial art when her work was selected as the official state portrait of Queen Beatrix. It is a distinction that bridges the gap between the intimate studio and the formal requirements of the state.
A Record of Presence
Her career is marked by a series of commissions that capture individuals at specific thresholds. These works move between the formal and the personal, documenting the faces of those who hold influence or undergo transition. Her portfolio includes:
- The 1995 screenprint of Queen Beatrix, a work of state significance.
- Portraits of prominent figures such as Jan Schouten and Piet van Mook.
- Commemorative works for professors entering emeritus status.
- Still life compositions focusing on floral arrangements.
The Quietude of Objects
Beyond the formal portrait, Rodenberg finds a different kind of stillness in her still lifes. These paintings, often executed in oil on canvas, focus on the transient nature of botanical life. There is a deliberate tension in how she handles light and texture, whether she is rendering a bouquet or a single, isolated subject. Her studio in the Goudse Hofsteden remains the center of this practice, a space where the tradition of Dutch painting meets a contemporary, disciplined hand.
