Gerbrand van den Eeckhout
(1621 - 1674) |
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historical narratives, genre scenes Art Work
| Name: |
Gerbrand van den Eeckhout |
| Gender: |
Male |
| Place of Birth: |
Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Nationality: |
Dutch |
| Birth: |
1621 |
| Death: |
1674 |
| Website: |
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| Past Auctions: |
Click Here |
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Quick Facts
| Known For: |
historical narratives, genre scenes |
| Medium: |
oil painting |
| Method: |
oil painting |
| Style: |
Dutch Golden Age |
| Fine Art Profession(s): |
Painter
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Biography
Eeckhouf's contribution to genre is generally accepted, but he never reached his teacher Rembrandt's heights in history painting. His shortcomings as a profound dramatist are most noted in his large scale works, while his smaller examples have earned him distinction as Rembrandt's truest follower. Critical in that vein is Christ in the Synagogue of Nazareth signed and dated 1658, Dublin, National Gallery of Ireland. It is considered his most successful painting in Rembrandt's manner. The son of the goldsmith Jan Pietersz van den Eeckhout, Gerbrand, Eeckhouf was one of Rembrandt's favorite pupils and closest friends. Some sources state Eeckhouf started his apprenticeship at age fourteen in 1635, and it is generally accepted that he was with Rembrandt until about 1640. One of Eeckhout's earliest signed and dated work is the Sacrifice of Gideon dated 1642, present location is unknown.
He was a contemporary of Ferdinand Bol and Govert Flinck. Although he was artistically devoted to Rembrandt, Eeckhout responded to a number of other stylistic sources, including Goltzius and especially Pieter Lastman. Flinck and Jan Lievens are also cited as influences. In certain paintings, Eeckhouf adopted the Flemish manner, particularly in occasional large scale works. He seems to have been one of Rembrandt's few pupils to capable of handling large canvases. The majority of his works are histories in which he followed Rembrandt's types, but not necessarily his models.
Eeckhout was a multifaceted artist who also produced portraits, an occasional landscape, as well as genre subjects. His genre scenes are particularly valued today. Depicting company scenes, musical parties, or views into rooms with card players and the like, he is now recognized as an important antecedent of the works of Pieter de Hooch, and in general is thought to be a precedent setter for painters of the 1670s in his guardroom scenes and merry companies. By updating fashion and introducing a more natural flavor into his treatment of scenes of pastimes, he led the way to later developments.
After 1650, Eeckhouf was one of the oldest Amsterdam painters depicting domestic scenes. Though few landscapes exist, his surviving works, particularly his drawings, show him to be a keen observer of nature with a great sensitivity to space and atmosphere. His paintings reveal artistic conventions adopted from both the Flemings and the Italianate Dutch. |
Samples of Work
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