Gerard van Honthorst | |
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Born | |
Died | 27 April 1656 Utrecht, Dutch Republic | (aged 63)
Education | Abraham Bloemaert |
Known for | Painting |
Notable work | The Matchmaker |
Movement | Utrecht Caravaggism Classicism |
Patron(s) | Vincenzo Giustiniani |
Gerard van Honthorst (Dutch: Gerrit van Honthorst; 4 November 1592 – 27 April 1656)[1] was a Dutch Golden Age painter who became known for his depiction of artificially lit scenes, eventually receiving the nickname Gherardo delle Notti ("Gerard of the Nights").[1] Early in his career he visited Rome, where he had great success painting in a style influenced by Caravaggio. Following his return to the Netherlands he became a leading portrait painter. Van Honthorst's contemporaries included Utrecht painters Hendrick Ter Brugghen and Dirck van Baburen.[2]