Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten
Encyclopedia
Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten (2 August 1627 - 19 October 1678) was a Dutch
painter of the Golden Age
.
. He was
first a pupil of his father Dirk van Hoogstraten
, living at Dordrecht until about 1640. On the death of his father, he changed his residence to Amsterdam
and entered the school of Rembrandt. A short time later, he started as a master and painter of portraits. He then set out on a round of travels which took him (1651) to Vienna
, Rome
and London
, finally retiring to Dort. There he married in 1656, and held an appointment as provost of the mint.
A view of the Vienna Hofburg, dated 1652, displays his skill as a painter of architecture. In contrast, a piece at the Hague representing a "Lady Reading a Letter as she crosses a Courtyard" (Mauritshuis) or a "Lady Consulting a Doctor," (in the Rijksmuseum at Amsterdam), imitates de Hooch
. One of his last remaining works is a portrait of Mathys van den Brouck, dated 1670.
Hoogstraten also employed his skill with perspective to construct "peepshow", or "perspective" boxes. For example, A Peepshow with Views of the Interior of a Dutch House is a box with convincing 3D views of the interior of a Dutch house when viewed through peepholes on either end of the box.
, later wrote another book, where he included a biography of his teacher. This is how we know so much about van Hoogstraten today.
Van Hoogstraten also composed sonnet
s and tragedies. We are indebted to him for some of the familiar sayings of Rembrandt. He was an etcher too, and some of his plates are still preserved. His portrait, engraved by himself at the age of fifty, still exists. His pupils were his younger brother Jan van Hoogstraten
, Aert de Gelder
, Cornelis van der Meulen
, and Godfried Schalcken
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
painter of the 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...
.
Biography
Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten was born and died in DordrechtDordrecht
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...
. He was
first a pupil of his father Dirk van Hoogstraten
Dirk van Hoogstraten
Dirk van Hoogstraten was a Dutch Golden Age painter, and father of Samuel Dirksz van Hoogstraten.-Biography:Dirk's father Hans emigrated to Dordrecht after Dirk was born. Dirk's family were Mennonite refugees. In the Spanish Netherlands Anabaptism was illegal since the siege of Antwerp in 1585...
, living at Dordrecht until about 1640. On the death of his father, he changed his residence to 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...
and entered the school of Rembrandt. A short time later, he started as a master and painter of portraits. He then set out on a round of travels which took him (1651) to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, finally retiring to Dort. There he married in 1656, and held an appointment as provost of the mint.
Paintings
A sufficient number of Van Hoogstraten's works has been preserved to show that he strove to imitate different styles at different times. In a portrait dated 1645, currently in the Lichtenstein collection in Vienna, he imitates Rembrandt. He continued in this vein until as late as 1653 when he produced the wonderful figure of a bearded man looking out of a window. This, one of the more characteristic examples of his manner, is exhibited in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.A view of the Vienna Hofburg, dated 1652, displays his skill as a painter of architecture. In contrast, a piece at the Hague representing a "Lady Reading a Letter as she crosses a Courtyard" (Mauritshuis) or a "Lady Consulting a Doctor," (in the Rijksmuseum at Amsterdam), imitates de Hooch
Pieter de Hooch
Pieter de Hooch was a genre painter during the Dutch Golden Age. He was a contemporary of Dutch Master Jan Vermeer, with whom his work shared themes and style.-Biography:...
. One of his last remaining works is a portrait of Mathys van den Brouck, dated 1670.
Hoogstraten also employed his skill with perspective to construct "peepshow", or "perspective" boxes. For example, A Peepshow with Views of the Interior of a Dutch House is a box with convincing 3D views of the interior of a Dutch house when viewed through peepholes on either end of the box.
Literary works
Van Hoogstraten's fame derives from his versatile career as poet, painter and zealous social climber. Besides directing a mint, he devoted some time to literary labours. His 'magnum opus' is a book on painting, the Introduction to the Academy of Painting (Inleyding tot de Hooge Schoole der Schilderkonst, Rotterdam 1678) which is in size and theoretical scope one of the most ambitious painting treatises published in the Netherlands in the seventeenth century. It covers issues such as pictorial persuasion and illusionism, the painter's moral standards and the relation of painting to philosophy, referring to various ancient and modern authors. While reacting to international, mainly Southern European ideas on painting which Van Hoogstraten may have encountered during his travels, the treatise also reflects contemporary talk and thought on art from Dutch studios. He wrote it as a sequel to Karel van Mander's similar book Het Schilder-Boeck, and one of van Hoogstraten's many students, Arnold HoubrakenArnold Houbraken
Arnold Houbraken was a Dutch painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of artists from the Dutch Golden Age. He had ten children. His son Jacobus Houbraken was an engraver of portraits and book illustrations, including books by his father...
, later wrote another book, where he included a biography of his teacher. This is how we know so much about van Hoogstraten today.
Van Hoogstraten also composed sonnet
Sonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
s and tragedies. We are indebted to him for some of the familiar sayings of Rembrandt. He was an etcher too, and some of his plates are still preserved. His portrait, engraved by himself at the age of fifty, still exists. His pupils were his younger brother Jan van Hoogstraten
Jan van Hoogstraten
Jan van Hoogstraten , was a Dutch Golden Age painter who died young in Vienna, where he was living with his older brother Samuel van Hoogstraten.-Biography:...
, Aert de Gelder
Aert de Gelder
Aert de Gelder was a Dutch painter.De Gelder was born and died in Dordrecht. He was one of Rembrandt’s last pupils while in Amsterdam, studying in his studio from 1661 to 1663...
, Cornelis van der Meulen
Cornelis van der Meulen
Cornelis van der Meulen , was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:According to Houbraken he was a portrait painter who had been a pupil of Samuel van Hoogstraten....
, and Godfried Schalcken
Godfried Schalcken
Godfried Schalcken or Gottfried Schalken , was a Dutch genre and portrait painter. He was noted for his mastery in reproducing the effect of candlelight, and painted in the exquisite and highly polished manner of the Leiden fijnschilders.- Life and work :Godfried Schalcken was born in 1643 at...
.