Abraham van Calraet
Encyclopedia
Abraham van Calraet, or Kalraat (7–12 October 1642, Dordrecht
- 11 June 1722, Amsterdam
) was a Dutch Golden Age
painter and engraver.
He resided throughout his life in Dordrecht, and may have been a pupil of Aelbert Cuyp
, who was a generation older. Cuyp's signature was often forged on top of Calraet's paintings.
Abraham Bredius was responsible for the first "rediscovery" of this painter, re-attributing two of his still life paintings that at that time were considered to be by Cuyp. Cornelis Hofstede de Groot
strongly disagreed with him and the Cuyp-Calraet question was escalated in the Dutch newspapers after Frits Lugt
announced a new Abraham Calraet painting in the Frans Hals Museum
in 1915. Bredius "won" the argument and many of his attributions still stand today.
Calraet is known today for still life pieces with fruit, and recently also for landscapes with horses. He was the teacher of his younger brother, the landscape painter Barent van Kalraet
.
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
- 11 June 1722, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
) was a Dutch Golden Age
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
painter and engraver.
Biography
He learned to paint from AEmilius and Samuel Hup, or Huppe, who were well known sculptors in the city of Dordrecht. After learning to sculpt, young Abraham took to the painter's brush, and started on fruit, while helping his father, who was a wood sculptor.He resided throughout his life in Dordrecht, and may have been a pupil of Aelbert Cuyp
Aelbert Cuyp
Aelbert Jacobsz Cuyp was one of the leading Dutch landscape painters of the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The most famous of a family of painters, the pupil of his father Jacob Gerritsz...
, who was a generation older. Cuyp's signature was often forged on top of Calraet's paintings.
Abraham Bredius was responsible for the first "rediscovery" of this painter, re-attributing two of his still life paintings that at that time were considered to be by Cuyp. Cornelis Hofstede de Groot
Cornelis Hofstede de Groot
Cornelis Hofstede de Groot , was a Dutch art collector, art historian and museum curator.-Life:He was the first academically schooled art historian of the Netherlands, receiving his training in Leipzig, which is why much of his work was published in German, most notably his lengthy 10-part...
strongly disagreed with him and the Cuyp-Calraet question was escalated in the Dutch newspapers after Frits Lugt
Frits Lugt
Frederik Johannes "Frits" Lugt , was a self-taught collector and connoisseur of Netherlandish drawings and prints and a selfless and tireless compiler of essential reference tools documenting Northern European prints and drawings, collectors' stamps and sale catalogues...
announced a new Abraham Calraet painting in the Frans Hals Museum
Frans Hals Museum
The Frans Hals Museum is a hofje and municipal museum in Haarlem, Netherlands. The museum was founded in 1862 in the newly renovated former cloister located in the back of the Haarlem city hall known as the Prinsenhof...
in 1915. Bredius "won" the argument and many of his attributions still stand today.
Calraet is known today for still life pieces with fruit, and recently also for landscapes with horses. He was the teacher of his younger brother, the landscape painter Barent van Kalraet
Barent van Kalraet
Barent van Kalraet, or Calraat was a Dutch Golden Age painter and the younger brother of Abraham Calraet.-Biography:...
.