Pieter De Hoogh
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Pieter Hendricksz. de Hooch (; also spelled ''Hoogh'' or ''Hooghe''; 20 December 1629  – after 1683), was a
Dutch Golden Age painter Dutch Golden Age painting is the painting of the Dutch Golden Age, a period in Dutch history roughly spanning the 17th century, during and after the later part of the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) for Dutch independence. The new Dutch Republi ...
famous for his
genre works Genre art is the pictorial representation in any of various media of scenes or events from everyday life, such as markets, domestic settings, interiors, parties, inn scenes, work, and street scenes. Such representations (also called genre works, ...
of quiet domestic scenes with an open doorway. He was a contemporary, in the
Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...
Guild of St. Luke, of
Jan Vermeer Johannes Vermeer ( , ; #Pronunciation of name, see below; also known as Jan Vermeer; October 1632 – 15 December 1675) was a Dutch people, Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life. He is considered one of ...
with whom his work shares themes and style. De Hooch was first recorded in Delft on 5 August 1652, when he and another painter,
Hendrick van der Burgh Hendrick van der Burgh (also spelled "van der Burch"; baptised 27 June 1627 – after 1665), was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes. He was related to contemporary Pieter de Hooch, as step brother following the marriage of h ...
witnessed the signing of a will. He was active in 1683, but his date of death is unknown (his son Pieter died in 1684, a date often wrongly given for the father).


Biography

De Hooch was born in
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
to Hendrick Hendricksz de Hooch, a
bricklayer A bricklayer, which is related to but different from a mason, is a craftsperson and tradesperson who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The terms also refer to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of maso ...
, and Annetge Pieters, a
midwife A midwife (: midwives) is a health professional who cares for mothers and Infant, newborns around childbirth, a specialisation known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughou ...
, baptised at the
Reformed Church Reformed Christianity, also called Calvinism, is a major branch of Protestantism that began during the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. In the modern day, it is largely represented by the Continental Reformed Christian, Presbyterian, ...
in Rotterdam in 1629. He was the eldest of five children and outlived all of his siblings, evidently raised in a
working class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...
home. Though, his father was described as a "master bricklayer", hence a skilled
artisan An artisan (from , ) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates material objects partly or entirely by hand. These objects may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative art, sculpture, clothing, food ite ...
required to be a member of the guild. Little is known of his early life, and most archival evidence suggests he worked in Rotterdam, Delft, and
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
. According to his first biographer
Arnold Houbraken Arnold Houbraken (28 March 1660 – 14 October 1719) was a Dutch people, Dutch Painting, painter and writer from Dordrecht, now remembered mainly as a biographer of Dutch Golden Age painters. Life Houbraken was sent first to learn ''threadt ...
, he studied art in
Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English language, English) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the Provinces of the Nether ...
under the landscape painter
Nicolaes Berchem Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 – 18 February 1683) was a highly esteemed and prolific Dutch Golden Age painter of pastoral landscapes, populated with mythological or biblical figures, but also of a number of allegories and genre ...
at the same time as
Jacob Ochtervelt Jacob Ochtervelt (1634–1682) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Biography Ochtervelt's contemporaries included Vermeer, Ter Borch, and De Hooch. Despite his prolific work, he was ignored by the three major 17th century art bibliographers, And ...
and was known for his "kamergezichten" or "room-views" with ladies and gentlemen in conversation. But de Hooch's work seems to continue in the spirit of Hendrik Sorgh, an older Rotterdam painter who had a special affinity for organising figures in interiors. Beginning in 1650, he worked as a painter and servant for a linen-merchant and art collector named Justus de la Grange in Rotterdam. His service for the merchant required him to accompany him on his travels to
The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
,
Leiden Leiden ( ; ; in English language, English and Archaism, archaic Dutch language, Dutch also Leyden) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Nethe ...
, and
Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...
, to which he moved in 1652, settling on Oude Delft 161 with de la Grange. Later, he lived next to the former Saint Hieronymus convent, once situated between Oude Delft and Westvest."Transcendence in Ordinary Domestic Life", Wall Street Journal, 19 August 2017 It is likely that de Hooch handed over most of his works to la Grange during this period in exchange for board and other benefits, as this was a common commercial arrangement for painters at the time, and a later inventory recorded that la Grange possessed eleven of his paintings. De Hooch was married in Delft in 1654 to Jannetje van der Burch, possibly sister of
Hendrick van der Burgh Hendrick van der Burgh (also spelled "van der Burch"; baptised 27 June 1627 – after 1665), was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes. He was related to contemporary Pieter de Hooch, as step brother following the marriage of h ...
, by whom he fathered seven children. While in Delft, de Hooch is also believed to have learned from the painters
Carel Fabritius Carel Pietersz. Fabritius (; bapt. 27 February 1622 – 12 October 1654) was a Dutch painter. He was a pupil of Rembrandt and worked in his studio in Amsterdam. Fabritius, who was a member of the Delft School, developed his own artistic style ...
and
Nicolaes Maes Nicolaes Maes (January 1634December 1693 (buried 24 December 1693)) was a Dutch Republic, Dutch painter known for his Genre painting, genre scenes, Portrait painting, portraits, religious compositions and the occasional still life. A pupil of Re ...
, who were early members of the Delft School. He became a member of the painters'
guild of Saint Luke The Guild of Saint Luke was the most common name for a city guild for painters and other artists in early modern Europe, especially in the Low Countries. They were named in honor of the Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of artists, who was iden ...
in 1655 (two years after Vermeer). Though, he must have faced financial difficulties, as he was unable to pay the admission fee of 12
guilders Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch and German ''gulden'', originally shortened from Middle High German ''guldin pfenninc'' (" gold penny"). This was the term that became current in the southern and western parts of the Holy Rom ...
. His daughter Anna was born in Delft on 14 November 1656. Based on the fact that his wife attended a baptism in Amsterdam in 1660, it has been determined that he moved to
Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , ; ; ) is the capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, largest city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has a population of 933,680 in June 2024 within the city proper, 1,457,018 in the City Re ...
by then, though the success of the
trekschuit Trekschuit (; , 'tugged boat') is an old style of sail- and horse-drawn boat specific to the Netherlands, where it was used for centuries as a means of passenger traffic between cities along ''trekvaarten'', or tow-canals. History The first ...
meant that a trip to Amsterdam could be made easily in a day.According to biographer Peter C. Sutton, De Hooch's wife Jannetje van der Burch was family of
Hendrick van der Burgh Hendrick van der Burgh (also spelled "van der Burch"; baptised 27 June 1627 – after 1665), was a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his genre scenes. He was related to contemporary Pieter de Hooch, as step brother following the marriage of h ...
(ca. 1625– na 1664) who lived in Leiden, also on the Delft-Amsterdam trekschuit route
Little is known of de Hooch's living arrangements in Amsterdam, though it has been established that he had contact with
Emanuel de Witte Emanuel de Witte (1617–1692) was a Dutch perspective painter. In contrast to Pieter Jansz Saenredam, who emphasized architectural accuracy, De Witte was more concerned with the atmosphere of his interiors. Though few in number, de Witte also ...
through a
lawsuit A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today ...
brought against de Witte. The burial records in Amsterdam for two of de Hooch's children, dated June 1663 and March 1665, indicate that he resided on Regulierspad and Engelspad, respectively. These "paths" were situated outside the old city walls and were known for accommodating some of the city's poorest inhabitants, sharply contrasting his affluent clients in Amsterdam. In 1668, he was living in the Konijnenstraat near the
Lauriergracht The Lauriergracht (; literally "Laurel Canal") is one of the canals of Amsterdam, located in the Jordaan, west of the Grachtengordel. History and inhabitants It was painted and photographed by George Hendrik Breitner who set up a studio on the c ...
, where he stayed for the next two years at least. His third son was baptized in 1672. In 1674, de Hooch's financial situation was meagre enough to escape the tax registers entirely, likely a result of the declining art market in the Dutch Republic, following the onerous
Rampjaar In Dutch history, the year 1672 is referred to as the (; Disaster Year). In May 1672, following the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and its peripheral conflict the Third Anglo-Dutch War, France, supported by Münster and Cologne, invaded a ...
, which hugely strained the economy and all facets of Dutch cultural activity. In his later years, de Hooch painted more, and often larger paintings, measuring over 100 centimetres. The date of his death is unknown. For a significant period, it was believed that de Hooch died in 1684 as a resident in the Amsterdam dolhuis, a lunatic asylum. Despite this, official records from that institution reveal that the Pieter de Hooch who died there was, in fact, the artist's son, who also bore the name Pieter. The registration of his son Pieter Pietersz. de Hooch at the Dolhuis in 1679 is noted as the last record of de Hooch in Amsterdam. In 2017 the Turing Foundation sponsored a new research project for the Delft
Museum Het Prinsenhof Het Prinsenhof ("The Court of the Prince") is a museum in the city of Delft in the Netherlands. Formerly the monastery of St Agatha, the building changed purpose over time. The whole building came into the possession of Delft City Council by 1925 ...
and the
Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the S ...
to work on a new overview exhibition focussing on the works in their collection, to be presented in a combined exhibition 2019–2020.


Works

The early work of de Hooch was mostly composed of scenes of soldiers and peasants in stables and taverns in the manner of
Adriaen van Ostade Adriaen van Ostade (baptized as Adriaen Jansz Hendricx 10 December 1610 – buried 2 May 1685) was a Dutch Golden Age painter of genre works, showing everyday life of ordinary men and women. Life According to Arnold Houbraken, he and his br ...
, though he used these to develop great skill in light, colour, and perspective rather than to explore an interest in the subject matter. In these
merry company Merry company is the term in art history for a painting, usually from the 17th century, showing a small group of people enjoying themselves, usually seated with drinks, and often music-making. These scenes are a very common type of genre painting ...
compositions, the focal point is not dispersed among numerous figure groups, in contrast to the soldier paintings of other artists. Instead, emphasis is concentrated on a principal group illuminated directly by the sun, which prominently stands out against a dark background, in the style of
chiaroscuro In art, chiaroscuro ( , ; ) is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to ach ...
. These works frequently showcase colour combinations typical of the artist's later period, such as a vivid vermilion and lemon yellow, often complemented by a warm dark green or blue in the shadows. Occasionally, backgrounds open into brightly lit adjoining rooms, and lighted figures may be framed in such doorways, known as a doorsien''', literally a 'see through'. These serve as reasonably reliable 'tells' of de Hooch's style. The contrast between light and shadow tends to be accentuated, with sunlit portions of the canvas appearing cooler and paler compared to his later works. Notably, De Hooch's mastery is most evident when portraying figures in repose, exemplified in two masterpieces painted around 1654 -
one 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
housed in the Palazzo Corsini and the
other Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), ...
in the
National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current di ...
, London - which mark the culmination of his early period.


Delft Period 1652-1660

De Hooch's early artistic development is evidenced by the maturity exhibited in his paintings executed around 1655. By 1654, he had attained a zenith in depicting soldier scenes, a focus that persisted into the initial years of his marriage. After starting his family in the mid-1650s, he switched his focus to domestic scenes. These were possibly of his own family, though his works of well-to-do women breastfeeding and caring for children could also indicate that he had attended his mother on her rounds as a midwife. Evidence also suggests that de Hooch may have been employed as a servant under Justus de la Grange, an experience which likely influenced his empathetic and nuanced portrayal of servants and domestic workers in his paintings. His work showed astute observation of the mundane details of everyday life while also functioning as well-ordered morality tales. From the fact he dated a whole series in 1658, whilst he dated very few others, suggests he himself recognised the importance of these paintings. These paintings often exhibited a sophisticated and delicate treatment of light similar to those of
Vermeer Johannes Vermeer ( , ; see below; also known as Jan Vermeer; October 1632 – 15 December 1675) was a Dutch painter who specialized in domestic interior scenes of middle-class life. He is considered one of the greatest painters of the Dutch ...
, who lived in Delft at the same time as de Hooch. The themes and compositions are also comparable between De Hooch and Vermeer. 19th-century
art historians The history of art focuses on objects made by humans for any number of spiritual, narrative, philosophical, symbolic, conceptual, documentary, decorative, and even functional and other purposes, but with a primary emphasis on its aesthetics ...
had assumed that Vermeer had been influenced by de Hooch's work, and indeed de Hooch first demonstrated a special interest in combining the figure with interior geometry. He succeeded in blending the South Holland techniques of perspective and interior space construction with powerful naturalism and focus on figures, a style undoubtedly influenced by the prominent genre painters of his time. An x-ray of '' Woman Weighing Gold Coin'' shows that De Hooch had first tried to paint another figure in the empty chair, pointing to his canvas being the more original model that Vermeer quoted. Another signature work of Vermeer, '' The Love Letter,'' is also said to have been inspired by de Hooch, and paintings of Vermeer have been found to have posthumously been inscribed with the signature of de Hooch, perhaps in attempt to inflate the value of the then unknown Vermeer's paintings.In the late 1650s, Pieter de Hooch pioneered a new genre of painting that showcased unprecedented spatial order and naturalism. In tranquil depictions of homes and courtyards, which appear casually observed and informal, are carefully composed with a sophisticated grasp of perspective and a fine attention to aerial accuracy. Many of these subtly revolutionary paintings revisit themes from his early works, such as merry companies with drinking soldiers, accompanied by their hostesses. However, the dimly lit stables and taverns of his earlier period are replaced by sunlit interiors, gardens, and courtyards of the middle class. De Hooch's
cityscape In the visual arts, a cityscape (urban landscape) is an artistic representation, such as a painting, drawing, print or photograph, of the physical aspects of a city or urban area. It is the urban equivalent of a landscape. ''Townscape'' is ...
s were some of the last Dutch painting specialties to emerge. Along with Fabritius' ''
A View of Delft ''A View of Delft, with a Musical Instrument Seller's Stall'' is a 1652 painting by Carel Fabritius. It is an oil painting on canvas of 20.9 by 35.7 cm (8.2 by 14.1 in) of a cityscape of Delft. The work has been in the collection of the Nat ...
,'' Pieter de Hooch's depictions of
courtyards A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky. Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary a ...
, bleaching grounds, and street scenes often feature prominent genre figures and are notable for their early focus on
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
environments. These works are among the first to emphasise cityscapes, cropping up mainly in de Hooch's time in Delft, where his works feature important buildings such as the Oude Kerk, Nieuwe Kerk, and the rooftop of the newly built Amsterdam Town Hall. Also featured are areas of residence for de Hooch, including courtyards similar to those found behind old Delft homes around the Binnenwatersloot where his wife lived. These
edifice A building or edifice is an enclosed structure with a roof, walls and windows, usually standing permanently in one place, such as a house or factory. Buildings come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and functions, and have been adapted throughout ...
s were often arranged fictitiously, bringing many important buildings into one scene. De Hooch also shared themes and compositions with
Emanuel de Witte Emanuel de Witte (1617–1692) was a Dutch perspective painter. In contrast to Pieter Jansz Saenredam, who emphasized architectural accuracy, De Witte was more concerned with the atmosphere of his interiors. Though few in number, de Witte also ...
, though de Witte soon devoted himself mainly to painting church interior scenes after moving to Amsterdam in 1651. De Witte seems more preoccupied with the rooms themselves, filling his paintings with objects, whilst de Hooch was more interested in people and their relationships to each other, rarely leaving the background of pictures unexplored. This was frequently exhibited, often to exhibit religious
iconography Iconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct fro ...
or as an empathetic introspection into the lives of the subjects.


Amsterdam Period 1660-1670

In the 1660s, he began to paint for wealthier patrons in Amsterdam who gained their wealth through increased trade and stock exchanges in a time of unrivalled prosperity, coinciding with de Hooch's premier works, during his Delft-Amsterdam transition. During this period, he was known for upscale
merry company Merry company is the term in art history for a painting, usually from the 17th century, showing a small group of people enjoying themselves, usually seated with drinks, and often music-making. These scenes are a very common type of genre painting ...
scenes and family portraits in opulent interiors with marble floors and high ceilings. During his time in Amsterdam, he continued to make his domestic scenes, but both the interiors and their occupants appear more opulent. With the change in setting, his art evolved to feature cooler colours, more substantial figures, and a technique marked by greater precision. Lacking entrée to the homes of the
aristocracy Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense Economy, economic, Politics, political, and soc ...
, de Hooch conceived the idea of utilising the newly built
City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
as a background for his social scenes, a marble-covered setting once considered the
eighth wonder of the world Eighth Wonder of the World is an unofficial title sometimes given to new buildings, structures, projects, designs or even people that are deemed to be comparable to the seven Wonders of the World. Candidates for the Eighth Wonder of the World ...
. He was thus enabled to paint accurate architectural settings, and the interiors, and to some extent, the light and colour schemes in these paintings are extremely successful. The reference of these public buildings is likely accountable for the overrepresentation of wealth in Dutch households. These works are often associated with the ''Leidse
Fijnschilder {{Short description, 17th-century Dutch artistic movement The Fijnschilders (literally "fine-painters"), also called the Leiden Fijnschilders ('Leidse Fijnschilders'), were Dutch Golden Age painters who, from about 1630 to 1710, strove to create as ...
s'', notable for their meticulously detailed paintings, which commanded very high prices. Though, the price of de Hooch's works did not garner the same prices as the Fijnschilders' until the early nineteenth century, when interest in his works increased, as English collectors, including
George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
, Sir
Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850), was a British Conservative statesman who twice was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835, 1841–1846), and simultaneously was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834–183 ...
, and the
Duke of Wellington Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ar ...
acquired works by de Hooch. Before this period, his paintings commanded a smaller price than that of Vermeer's, and only a fraction of that of Dou's or van Mieris'. De Hooch also portrayed courting couples engaged in skittle playing, with the finest example on display at
Waddesdon Manor Waddesdon Manor is a English country house, country house in the village of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. Owned by the National Trust and managed by the Rothschild Foundation, it is one of the National Trust's most visited properties, ...
. This piece was created shortly after his move to Amsterdam and exemplifies his shift from simple Delft courtyards to the depiction of early
country house image:Blenheim - Blenheim Palace - 20210417125239.jpg, 300px, Blenheim Palace - Oxfordshire An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a Townhou ...
gardens. The skittle-playing theme connects to the
imagery Imagery is visual symbolism, or figurative language that evokes a mental image or other kinds of sense impressions, especially in a literary work, but also in other activities such as. Imagery in literature can also be instrumental in conveying ...
of the "Garden of Love" and "Game of Love" found in both
high art In a society, high culture encompasses cultural objects of aesthetic value that a society collectively esteems as exemplary works of art, as well as the literature, music, history, and philosophy a society considers representative of its cultur ...
and popular
print culture Print culture embodies all forms of printed text and other printed forms of visual communication. One prominent scholar of print culture in Europe is Elizabeth Eisenstein, who contrasted the print culture of Europe in the centuries after the ad ...
. The woman gazing out at the viewer serves as the central figure in this playful "Sport of Love."


Late Period in Amsterdam 1670-1683

Many scholars assert that Pieter de Hooch's work from around 1670 onwards became more stylised and diminished in quality, with some describing him as having "quickly lost his inspiration and charm." However, these assessments are frequently critiqued for applying the aesthetic standards of his earlier Delft paintings rather than considering the evolving artistic norms of post-1670 Dutch art, and the disastrous
Rampjaar In Dutch history, the year 1672 is referred to as the (; Disaster Year). In May 1672, following the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War and its peripheral conflict the Third Anglo-Dutch War, France, supported by Münster and Cologne, invaded a ...
of 1672 which similarly claimed other contemporary careers . This included time-renowned masters such as
Jan Steen Jan Havickszoon Steen ( – buried 3 February 1679) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, one of the leading genre painters of the 17th century. His works are known for their psychological insight, sense of humour and abundance of colour. Life ...
, who applied for a licence to run a
tavern A tavern is a type of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...
in the wake of economic downturn. It is possible that de Hooch's work was influenced by personal distress, following the death of his wife in 1667 at the age of 38, which left him to care for a young family. During his Amsterdam period, de Hooch encountered less success when revisiting motifs from his Delft era, such as depictions involving a young mother with her child and a serving maid, or when he revisited the soldier scenes reminiscent of his earlier days. Though facing minor success with reinterpretations of his Delft period, these instances of self-repetition are devoid of fresh impressions. The paintings are perceived as having an exaggeratedly dark overall tone, and certain prominent colours, notably a sullen
vermillion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color family and pigment most often used between antiquity and the 19th century from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide). It is synonymous with red orange, which often takes a modern ...
and a cold blue prevalent in the shadows, characterised as harsh. Remarkably, nearly 50% of de Hooch's works date to the last 15 years of his activity, likely to compensate for lower compensation in the wake of the Rampjaar. Additionally, these works are described as appearing lifeless and cumbersome in outline, with a perceived falseness in their structural composition. An anonymous writer in
The Connoisseur A connoisseur is a person who has expert knowledge in matters of taste or the fine arts. Connoisseur may also refer to: In arts and media: * Connoisseur Media, a US radio station holding company * ''The Connoisseur'' (magazine), a periodical on ...
quoted remarks on late de Hooch, writing, " esacrifices his individuality to the taste of the time." Upon the acquisition of ''A Musical Party in a Courtyard'' by the
National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current di ...
, London in 1916, a debate was provoked in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
, and the Gallery's Board of Trustees was censured. Writers for ''
The Connoisseur A connoisseur is a person who has expert knowledge in matters of taste or the fine arts. Connoisseur may also refer to: In arts and media: * Connoisseur Media, a US radio station holding company * ''The Connoisseur'' (magazine), a periodical on ...
'' and ''
The Burlington Magazine ''The Burlington Magazine'' is a monthly publication that covers the fine and decorative arts of all periods. Established in 1903, it is the longest running art journal in the English language. It has been published by a charitable organisation s ...
'' expressed strong criticism of the artwork, describing the purchase as "an act of folly on the part of the Trustees" and declaring, "Not to mince matters, it is a poor picture, a work of the painter's late and bad period," respectively.


Legacy

Pieter de Hooch's influence persisted under the misnomer of the "De Hooch School." Although there are no records of him having formal students, his work resonated with numerous artists, including
van der Burgh van der Burgh is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Cameron van der Burgh (born 1988), South African swimmer * Hendrick van der Burgh (1627–1664), Dutch painter * Pieter Daniel van der Burgh (1805–1879), Dutch painter See al ...
and
Pieter Janssens Elinga Pieter Janssens Elinga (1623–1682) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, mainly of domestic interior scenes with a strong emphasis on the rectangular geometrical elements of windows, floor tiling paintings, and other elements, and a few genre figures ...
, the latter of whom likely based his painting ''Woman with a Pearl Necklace'' on de Hooch's style, with many of his other works reflecting de Hooch's Delft period.
Emanuel de Witte Emanuel de Witte (1617–1692) was a Dutch perspective painter. In contrast to Pieter Jansz Saenredam, who emphasized architectural accuracy, De Witte was more concerned with the atmosphere of his interiors. Though few in number, de Witte also ...
is also said to have been influenced by his younger colleague. The artistic relationship between de Hooch and
Ludolf de Jongh Ludolf de Jongh or Ludolf Leendertsz. de Jongh (Overschie, 1616 – Hillegersberg, 1679) was a Dutch painter, known for his genre scenes, hunting scenes, history paintings, landscapes, cityscapes and portraits.Jacob Ochtervelt Jacob Ochtervelt (1634–1682) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. Biography Ochtervelt's contemporaries included Vermeer, Ter Borch, and De Hooch. Despite his prolific work, he was ignored by the three major 17th century art bibliographers, And ...
, all native
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
mers, evidenced by their distinctive approaches to soldier paintings. De Hooch's legacy enjoyed a resurgence in the 18th century, as admiration for his work grew.
Cornelis Troost Cornelis Troost (8 October 1696 – 7 March 1750) was a Dutch actor and painter from Amsterdam. Troost was trained as an actor and married the actress Susanna Maria van der Duyn, but became a pupil of Arnold Boonen and gave up his career fo ...
, for instance, owned one of his paintings and created portraits in line with de Hooch's Delft period style. Artists such as Abraham van Strij, Jan Ekels the Younger, and
Wybrand Hendricks Wybrand Hendriks (June 24, 1744, Amsterdam – January 28, 1831, Haarlem) was a Dutch painter, primarily known for his portraits, and the concierge of the Teylers Museum. Biography Wybrand Hendriks was born in a sculptor family, as the son of t ...
also drew inspiration from this period. Numerous 18th-century drawings after de Hooch's works exist, created by artists like
Frans Decker Frans Decker (1684 – 1751) was an 18th-century painter from the Dutch Republic. Biography Decker was born in 1684. He was a painter whose pictures possess great merit, and are to be met with in almost every collection. He is stated to have be ...
,
Cornelis van Noorde Cornelis van Noorde (1731 – 1795) was an 18th-century landscape painter and drawer from the Dutch Republic. Biography He was born in 1731, in Haarlem. According to the Netherlands Institute for Art History, he was the son of Rijkes van No ...
,
Aert Schouman Aert Schouman or Aart Schouman (4 March 1710 – 5 July 1792) was an 18th-century painter, now better known as a glass engraver, from the Dutch Republic. Schouman was born in Dordrecht. When 15 years old he served as apprentice to the Dordrec ...
,
Hermanus Numan Hermanus Numan (1744 – 9 March 1820) was a Dutch painter, draftsman, pastellist, etcher, engraver, watercolorist, set painter, decorator (interiors), art theorist, and publisher.Reinier Vinkeles Reinier Vinkeles (1741 – 1816) was an 18th-century painter and engraver from the Northern Netherlands, who was the teacher of several talented artists. Biography Vinkeles was born in 1741, in Amsterdam. He studied for some ten years with Jan ...
. His legacy continued to thrive into the 19th century with the formalisation of art evaluation methods, as critic
Théophile Thoré-Bürger Étienne-Joseph-Théophile Thoré (better known as Théophile Thoré-Bürger) (23 June 1807–30 April 1869) was a French journalist and art critic. He is best known today for rediscovering the work of painter Johannes Vermeer and several other ...
praised de Hooch in his ''Salon'' reviews. This led artists like
Jean-François Millet Jean-François Millet (; 4 October 1814 – 20 January 1875) was a French artist and one of the founders of the Barbizon school in rural France. Millet is noted for his paintings of peasant farmers and can be categorized as part of the Realis ...
to take a profound interest in his work. As a result, the value of de Hooch's paintings soared, and some works by other Dutch Golden Age artists, such as Vermeer's ''
The Art of Painting ''The Art of Painting'', also known as ''The Allegory of Painting'' (Dutch: ''Allegorie op de schilderkunst''), or ''Painter in his Studio'', is a 17th-century oil on canvas painting by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. It is owned by the Aust ...
'', were falsely attributed to de Hooch in order to increase their market price.
Marcel Proust Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust ( ; ; 10 July 1871 – 18 November 1922) was a French novelist, literary critic, and essayist who wrote the novel (in French – translated in English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'' and more r ...
also admired de Hooch's interiors, referencing them in
Swann's Way ''In Search of Lost Time'' (), first translated into English as ''Remembrance of Things Past'', and sometimes referred to in French as ''La Recherche'' (''The Search''), is a novel in seven volumes by French author Marcel Proust. This early twen ...
to evoke the protagonist's feelings of love. During the 20th century, several works thought to be de Hooch originals were revealed as forgeries, after an unfinished "de Hooch" painting was discovered in
Han van Meegeren Henricus Antonius "Han" van Meegeren (; 10 October 1889 – 30 December 1947) was a Dutch painter and portraitist, considered one of the most ingenious Art forgery, art forgers of the 20th century. Van Meegeren became a national hero after World ...
's studio in 1945.
Art historian Art history is the study of artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history. Traditionally, the ...
Peter C. Sutton argues that de Hooch's later works are largely responsible for the diminished appreciation of his art, advocating that his body of work should be judged without the bias of his weaker, later canvases.


Gallery

File:Pieter de Hooch - The Empty Glass - WGA11680.jpg, '' The Empty Glass'' File:Pieter de Hooch - Bringer of Bad News - Google Art Project.jpg, ''Bringer of Bad News'' File:Pieter de Hooch 008.jpg, ''A Woman and Child in a Bleaching Ground'' File:Pieter de Hooch - The Visit - WGA11684.jpg, '' The Visit'' File:Pieter de Hooch - The Golf Players - c.1658.jpg, ''
The Golf Players ''The Golf Players'' (1658) is an oil-on-panel painting by the Dutch painter Pieter de Hooch. It is an example of Dutch Golden Age painting and is part of the collection of Polesden Lacey. The painting was documented by Hofstede de Groot in 1910, ...
'' File:Pieter de Hooch - Cardplayers in a Sunlit Room.jpg, '' Cardplayers in a Sunlit Room '' File:Pieter de Hooch 012.jpg, ''
A Dutch Courtyard ''A Dutch Courtyard'' (1658–1660) is an oil-on-canvas painting by the Dutch Golden Age painter Pieter de Hooch. The original resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. A later, altered replica also exists, part ...
'' File:Pieter de Hooch 013.jpg, '' Group portrait of an unknown family or company'' File:Een moeder die het haar van haar kind reinigt, bekend als ‘Moedertaak’ Rijksmuseum SK-C-149.jpeg, ''
A Mother's Duty ''A Mother's Duty'' (1658–1660) is an oil-on-canvas Dutch Golden Age painting by the Dutch painter Pieter de Hooch. It is part of the collection of the Amsterdam Museum, on loan to the Rijksmuseum. Description This painting by Hooch showing a w ...
'' File:Pieter de Hooch - The Courtyard of a House in Delft.jpg, '' The Courtyard of a House in Delft'' File:Pieter de Hooch003.jpg, '' Company in a courtyard behind a house'' File:Pieter de Hooch - At the Linen Closet.jpg, '' Two Women Beside a Linen Chest, with a Child '' File:Woman with a Water Pitcher, and a Man by a Bed ("The Maidservant") MET DP143173.jpg, '' The Maidservant'' File:Pieter de Hooch - Man reading letter to a woman.jpg, '' Interior with a Man Reading a Letter and a Woman Sewing'' File:Pieter de Hooch - Interior with Two Women and a Man Drinking and Eating Oysters CTB.1995.2.jpg, ''Company in an interior eating oysters''


See also

*
List of paintings by Pieter de Hooch A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...
* '' Delft School''


References


Sources

* * * * * *


External links


''A Game of Ninepins'' at Waddesdon Manor

From Dou to De Hooch blog article, Waddesdon Manor



Works and literature on Pieter de Hooch
*
''Vermeer and The Delft School''
exhibition catalog from The
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...
(fully available online as PDF)
''The Milkmaid by Johannes Vermeer''
exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF)
''Fifteenth- to eighteenth-century European paintings: France, Central Europe, the Netherlands, Spain, and Great Britain''
collection catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as a PDF) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hooch, Pieter de 1629 births 1684 deaths Dutch genre painters Dutch Golden Age painters Dutch male painters Painters from Delft Painters from Rotterdam Waddesdon Manor