Willem van Herp
Encyclopedia
Willem van Herp was a Flemish Baroque painter specializing in small cabinet painting
s of "low-life" genre
scenes and religious paintings.
. He is listed as an independent master in the Guild of St. Luke beginning in 1637.
Genre scenes, such as A Poor Company at Table in a Rustic Kitchen (Le Petit Chaudron) held by the National Trust
at Tyntesfield
, and oil on copper religious paintings, such as Daniel in the Lions Den (c. 1650, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
), are typical of his work. In the former, the figures demonstrate a small-scale use of Rubensean figures in an interior reminiscent of contemporary works by David Teniers the Younger
. The latter is more representative of the small religious scenes on copper that make up most of his oeuvre, with a highly polished finish and borrowings from Rubens—in this case from the Daniel in the Lion's Den in the National Gallery of Art
, Washington, D.C.
Although only moderately successful in Antwerp, as suggested by the infrequent occurrence of his paintings in local inventories, many of his small works were probably intended as export items destined to Spain
. Most of these were on copper, a material for painting that was highly prized both for durability and its glossy finish in Spain. Van Herp's works, in particular, were also influential in spreading copper painting in Mexico
by way of trade from Spain to Latin America
, and reflect a taste for small paintings reminiscent of Rubens's style abroad. He also became well-known in England
through engraving
s after his works.
Cabinet painting
A cabinet painting is a small painting, typically no larger than about two feet in either dimension, but often much smaller. The term is especially used of paintings that show full-length figures at a small scale, as opposed to say a head painted nearly life-size, and that are painted very...
s of "low-life" genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
scenes and religious paintings.
Life and works
Willem van was long thought to have been a student of Peter Paul Rubens, and although he was not a student he did borrow many of that master's motifs and touched up copies after that painter for the art dealer Matthijs MussonMatthijs Musson
Matthijs Musson was a painter and art dealer based in Antwerp, who helped popularize artists of the seventeenth-century Antwerp school by marketing them throughout Europe...
. He is listed as an independent master in the Guild of St. Luke beginning in 1637.
Genre scenes, such as A Poor Company at Table in a Rustic Kitchen (Le Petit Chaudron) held by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
at Tyntesfield
Tyntesfield
Tyntesfield is a Victorian Gothic Revival estate near Wraxall, North Somerset, England, near Nailsea, seven miles from Bristol.The house was acquired by the National Trust in June 2002 after a fund raising campaign to prevent it being sold to private interests and ensure it be opened to the public...
, and oil on copper religious paintings, such as Daniel in the Lions Den (c. 1650, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is an art museum in Los Angeles, California. It is located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile vicinity of Los Angeles, adjacent to the George C. Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits....
), are typical of his work. In the former, the figures demonstrate a small-scale use of Rubensean figures in an interior reminiscent of contemporary works by David Teniers the Younger
David Teniers the Younger
David Teniers the Younger was a Flemish artist born in Antwerp, the son of David Teniers the Elder. His son David Teniers III and his grandson David Teniers IV were also painters...
. The latter is more representative of the small religious scenes on copper that make up most of his oeuvre, with a highly polished finish and borrowings from Rubens—in this case from the Daniel in the Lion's Den in the National Gallery of Art
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Although only moderately successful in Antwerp, as suggested by the infrequent occurrence of his paintings in local inventories, many of his small works were probably intended as export items destined to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Most of these were on copper, a material for painting that was highly prized both for durability and its glossy finish in Spain. Van Herp's works, in particular, were also influential in spreading copper painting in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
by way of trade from Spain to Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, and reflect a taste for small paintings reminiscent of Rubens's style abroad. He also became well-known in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
through engraving
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
s after his works.
External links
- http://www.nationalgalleryimages.co.uk/search.aspx?q=HERP+the+Elder%2C+Willem+van&mode=artist&frm=1Willem van Herp, St. Anthony of Padua (?) distributing bread, c. 1662. National Gallery, LondonNational Gallery, LondonThe National Gallery is an art museum on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media...
.]