WASHINGTON, D.C.- Gerard ter Borch, one of the finest of all Dutch 17th-century painters, is shown in his full splendor in this magnificent exhibition, the first ever devoted to his work in the United States. Gerard ter Borch presents over 50 of the artist's exquisite portraits and genre scenes from public and private collections in the United States and Europe. On view at the National Gallery of Art, West Building, from November 7, 2004, through January 30, 2005, Gerard ter Borch will travel to the Detroit Institute of Arts, where it will be on view from February 27 through May 22, 2005. A small selection of paintings from the exhibition will be shown at the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, from June 9 through September 4, 2005.

The paintings of Gerard ter Borch (1617-1681) are remarkably varied, and the selection in this exhibition represents each aspect of his career, from his striking early picture of a lonely soldier on horseback from the 1630s, to his masterful depiction of the delegates signing the Treaty of Münster in 1648, to his mid-career representations of women engaged in domestic activities, and to the refined portraits of Dutch burghers that brought him prosperity throughout his professional life.

"Gerard ter Borch, one of the most engaging and wide-ranging Dutch artists of the 17th century, is known for his perceptive portraits and elegant genre scenes. For the first time in the United States, at the National Gallery of Art, we are proud to be able to present such outstanding examples of this master's remarkable work," said Earl A. Powell III, director, National Gallery of Art.

The exhibition was organized by the American Federation of the Arts, New York, and the National Gallery of Art, Washington.