Gerard van Honthorst

Gerrit van Honthorst (* November 4, 1592 in Utrecht, † April 27, 1656 ) was a Dutch painter. He was one of the followers of Caravaggio and is known as one of the Utrecht Caravaggists. Gerrit van Honthorst had several pseudonyms: Gherardo della Notte, Gerard van Honthorst, Gherardo Fiammingo or Gerardo van Hermansz.

Life

Honthorst was a pupil of Abraham Bloemaert, but completed his studies in Rome, where he studied (about 1610-1615 ) especially Caravaggio's works. He worked for major clients such as the Cardinal Scipione Caffarelli - Borghese and the Marchese Vincenzo Giustiniani banker, a collector of works by Caravaggio. He met Guido Reni, and worked with him.

Around 1620 he returned to Utrecht and married his cousin. In 1622, he joined the Utrecht painters' guild. He then joined by another trip to Italy and England in the service of the House of Orange Court, and took numerous portrait commissions for the exiled King of Bohemia pair Elisabeth Stuart and Frederick V of the Palatinate, whose children he also gave lessons. He bought a big house and opened a studio; Peter Paul Rubens gave him a visit. In 1628 he lived in London, together with his pupil Joachim von Sandrart. He worked for Charles I. (England), to paint an allegorical picture with portraits of the royal family.

1637 he joined the painters' guild of the Hague, where he worked until 1652. The Prince of Orange, Frederick Henry and William II appointed him court painter and gave him many commissions. Because of all the work he opened a second studio in The Hague.

His works combine the influences of Abraham Bloemaert and Caravaggio mix. In most cases, he turned to night lighting by candle or lamp light, so he was given the nickname " Gherardo della Notte " by the Italians.

Such images maintain a slightly heavy yellow color in the light and to have little transparent shadows. Well said, by clear, displaced treatment, simple and natural conception are his portraits.

He left numerous works, of which

• The Release of Peter,
• Esau sold his birthright,
• The backgammon ( Berlin Museum ),
• Christ before Pilate ( the Belvedere at Vienna )
• The Denial of Peter (Vienna, Liechtenstein Gallery )
• The Dentist ( Dresdner Gallery )
• The concert (Paris, Louvre),
• The cheerful musician (Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum ),
• The Prodigal Son ( Alte Pinakothek, Munich),
• Ceres seeking Proserpine ( Munich Pinakothek ) and
• The Doubting Thomas

Should be emphasized.

Honthorst's grave is in the Utrecht Catherine's Church.

Important works

• Adoration of the Shepherds, 1620, oil on canvas, 339 × 199 cm. Florence, Galleria degli Uffizi.
• Adoration of the Shepherds, 1622, oil on canvas, 150 × 191 cm. Cologne, Wallraf- Richartz Museum.
• Apollo and Diana, 1628, oil on canvas, 357 × 640 cm. London, Hampton Court Palace.
• Entombment of Christ, 1632, oil on canvas, St.Michael Aachen. By Heinrich Franz Carl Billotte handed down as chalk drawing.
• Lamentation of Christ, 1633, canvas, 338 × 231 cm. Ghent, St. Bavo
• Christ in Gethsemane, oil on canvas, 113 × 110 cm. St Petersburg, Hermitage.
• Christ before Caiaphas, oil on canvas, 272 × 183 cm. London, National Gallery.
• Portrait of Elector Frederick V of the Palatinate, in 1620, 44 × 38 cm, Vienna, Museum of Military History.
• Portrait of Elector Frederick V of the Palatinate as king of Bohemia, around 1620, 202 × 143.5 cm, London, Government Art Collection of the United Kingdom, Inv. 1263rd

His brother Willem van Honthorst (* 1604 in Utrecht, † 1666 there ) was also historical and portrait painter. He stayed from 1650 to 1664 at the Berlin court. The located by him in the galleries of Berlin, Amsterdam and Schwerin portraits similar to those Gerrits, however, are still somewhat smoother and fused in execution.