Hendrick van Balen

Hendrik van Balen, called the Elder ( * 1575 in Antwerp, † July 17, 1632 ) was a Dutch painter of Flemish origin. He is assigned to the Baroque.

Life

Balen was a pupil of Adam van Noort and was recorded with 17 years in the Guild of St. Luke in Antwerp; 1592-1593, he served as dean even this guild. He was a leading Antwerp small figure painter, who had a large workshop.

1605 married Hendrik van Balen the Elder. in Antwerp Margaret Briers. With her he had eleven children; inter alia, Hendrik van Balen D. J. and Jan van Balen. The registers of the guilds recorded a total of 26 students from Balen, including Anthony van Dyck and Frans Snyders.

Since Balen Antwerp also belonged to the Brotherhood of the Romanists, it can be assumed that he had at least once resided in Rome, or in Italy. For the year 1613 the confraternity chose him also to the dean. His contemporary Sebastian Vrancx was a member of the same fraternity, the two painters were friends.

At the age of about 55 years, Hendrik van Balen the Elder died. on July 17, 1632 in Antwerp. His tomb is in Jacob's Church in Antwerp.

Balen had also painted jointly with other artists. For example, Joos de Momper, Jan Brueghel and Peter Paul Rubens. Anthony van Dyck portrayed his teacher Balen 1627/1630; the image can be seen today in the J. Paul Getty Museum.