Name Hendrik Minderhout | ||
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Died July 22, 1696, Antwerp, Belgium Artwork Landscape with Rape of Europa, Oosterse Zeehaven Similar People James II of England, Jacob van Wassenaer Obdam, Prince Rupert of the Rhine | ||
Hendrik van Minderhout (1632 – 22 July 1696) was a Dutch-born marine painter who was primarily active in the Flemish cities Bruges and Antwerp.
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Life
Minderhout was born in Rotterdam. For unknown reasons, he was known as the ‘Green Knight of Rotterdam’. He arrived in Bruges in 1652. He may have spent time in Italy in 1653. In 1663, he joined Bruges' Guild of Saint Luke. Subsequently, from 1672 until his death in 1696, van Minderhout lived in Antwerp where he became a member of the local Guild of Saint Luke. He gifted a large canvas of an oriental port to Antwerp's guild to be exempted from any Guild duties. In 1673, he married his second wife, Anna-Victoria Claus. The couple had five children, of whom two, Antoon van Minderhout (26 Sept 1675 - 22 Dec 1705) and Willem August van Minderhout (28 Aug 1680 - 31 June 1752), became painters.
He was the master of Lucas Smout the Younger.
He died in Antwerp.
Work
Hendrik van Minderhout mainly painted large views of seas and harbours and marine battles. His subjects included realist views such as of the ports of Antwerp and Bruges, as well as imaginary views of Mediterranean and oriental ports. It has been suggested that the wide variety of works bearing the signature Hendrik van Minderhout points to the existence of two artists of the same name who were active at the same time.
His later work is comparable to that of the Dutch seascape painter Willem van de Velde the Younger.