StudioThe CONTERFEYTER home base in the centre of Den Haag (NL) is designed, decorated and equipped as a typical 17th century painter’s studio. Occasionally, following master Rembrandt’s example, the atelier is turned into a classroom. With the NAER DE NATUER courses program, new generations of pupils are introduced step by step to 17th century drawing and painting techniques. From dusk until dawn fresh daylight floods through no less than ten separate windows, making it possible to work under the best possible conditions. Inspiring scents of different types of linseed oil, home-brewed varnishes and of course natural turpentine oil fill the studio. All the canvasses used for the paintings are stretched in the classical manner with skin glue and accordingly knife-primed with a double oil-ground, just like it was done centuries ago in Rembrandt’s studio. The same craftsmanship counts for the oil paint used here, which is hand ground from classical powder pigments in cold pressed linseed oil. This seemingly over-traditionalistic handmade craftsman like approach is not chosen to posh around in some self-indulged fetishism. On the contrary, there are simply no better pre-fab alternatives available.