This painting shows the Rotterdam train and metro station Blaak. Blaak station opened in 1993 in its current form. The station has a large transparent dish. On level -1 are the tracks of the metro lines. The railway tunnel is one level lower. The different levels are connected by stairs, escalators and elevators.
The painting features two well-known figures on the intermediate level: Marten Soolmans and Oopjen Coppit. Rembrandt van Rijn painted their wedding portraits in 1634.
The two paintings were purchased by the Dutch and French states with the intention that they would be exhibited alternately in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and the Louvre in Paris. The portrait of Oopjen is owned by France and that of Marten by the Dutch state.The paintings came to the Rijksmuseum at the end of June 2016 and were hung in the Night Watch Room.
The title of the painting 'Further together' therefore refers to this history of Rembrandt's portraits. Moreover, it seems that they have found each other on the intermediate level via separate (escalator) stairs from different directions and continue on one flight of stairs.
Bert Hermans was born in 1947 in The Netherlands. His work consists mainly of oil paintings, with his major theme being industrial and cultural heritage. Hermans has followed several courses in acrylic, water media and oil painting, starting in 1985 at the Dutch Art School SKVR in Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The last decade his work mainly is concentrated on oil paintings.
Hermans has had exhibitions in eight countries in Europe, in the USA, China and Japan. He won several art prices. His works have been published in many art books and his artwork has been published and sold worldwide.
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