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| Gerrit Dou (1613–1675) | ||||||||||
| Dou was a Dutch Golden Age painter born in Leyden. In 1622, his father, a glass engraver, arranged for him to apprentice with the engraver Bartholomeus Dolendo, where he developed his drawing skills. After leaving Dolendo’s studio, Dou worked from 1624 in the workshop of Pieter Kouwenhoven, a glass painter. In 1628, he joined Rembrandt’s studio, where he learned the technique of chiaroscuro, which became his speciality. However, Dou developed his own distinct style and did not heavily imitate Rembrandt. After establishing his own workshop, he initially painted portraits, but his slow and detailed approach did not satisfy his clients. He then turned to scenes of everyday life around the local marketplace and interior settings, often featuring buxom maids. Little is known about his personal life, which seems to have been quiet and devoted to his work. His paintings were very popular, especially his candlelit scenes and trompe-l’œil works. Though Dou gained international recognition, he mostly stayed in Leyden, except for two periods: from 1651 to 1657 and from 1668 to 1672. He was prosperous, evident from the high prices his paintings commanded. A wealthy collector named Van Spiring paid him an annual sum of a thousand florins to have first choice of new works at the end of each year, in addition to paying normal prices for other paintings. Dou died in Leyden and was buried in the church of St Peter. His pupils and followers included Frans van Mieris, Godfried Schalcken, Gabriel Metsu, and Emanuel van Slingeland. | ||||||||||
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Art