Let Us Spiral Up: Gen X, This Is Our Time!
May 3, 2020
Do you know who Carel Fabritius was? He was the Dutch painter who bridged Rembrandt and Vermeer; Rembrandt was his teacher and he, in turn, taught Vermeer.
Rembrandt and Vermeer are among the most recognized painters in the world. To this day, photographers and artists alike relate their use of light to “Rembrandt Lighting“, a style that is simultaneously bold yet subtle and simple yet mysterious. And Vermeer, the esteemed Vermeer, an artist I love, was one of the first to celebrate the mundane by depicting the everyday so evocatively. Just look at the lips of Girl With A Pearl Earring; they say it all while saying nothing.
Rembrandt Harmensz van Rjin (1654), Portrait of an Old Man in Red. Museum: Hermitage Museum. 
Johannesburg Vermeer (1665), Girl with a Pearl Earring. Museum: Mauritshuis, The Hague.
But who lies between these two masters? The important Carel Fabritius (1622 – 1654), a (perhaps lesser known) Dutch Master. Sadly, Fabritius’s life was snuffed out early by a surprising explosion at an ammunition plant near his home in Delft, sparing only a few of his works. The Goldfinch was among those recovered, made even more famous in the novel by Donna Tart of the same name. Today, this important work hangs in the museum at The Hague.
Gen X, take heed. We are the Carel Fabritius of our time. We are the critical bridge between two huge and important generations (the Boomers and Millenials). Unlike Fabricious, however, let’s not let our influence be snuffed out early. Today, more important than ever, it’s critical for our generation to continue use our genius to ready the next generation.
Enter Spiraling Up…
Spiraling up is a term I use in the title of my blog. I believe, with each generation that passes, we spiral up. Overall, we become more evolved, more authentic, more conscious, and less ego-centric. It is not a direct line upward, but rather a winding road whose general trajectory is up.
Carel Fabricious is an example of spiraling up. He was the bridge leading us to the more transparent works of Vermeer, while still retaining the stunning technique he learned from Rembrandt.
Today, in 2020, the oldest Gen Xer is 55 and the youngest is 40. I am in the middle. Our Gen X parents are aging and some are dying. As I watch this transition, I think about what do I want to retain from my older generation and what do I want to shed. I consider how do I want the next generation to learn from me. The way I see it, our generation has both wisdom from our many years of experience and also the benefit of having many productive years ahead. As I find myself in self-isolation and watch the world go through these unprecedented changes of our time, I am reflecting on these important questions.
If we are Fabritius, are we readying the next Vermeer? Share your story; this is our time.
