Dirck Verhaert specialised in painting Italianate river landscapes. His production was too often rather boring: too many variations and repetitons of similar themes. In just a few cases, here for example, he expanded his views panoramically: these paintings are fascinating, detailed and challenging.

 

 

Dutch painter

Possibly born in Haarlem circa 1610 – died in or after 1675, probably in Leiden.

 

Painter of Italianate landscapes.

 

Our painter lived and worked in three different Dutch towns: The Hague, Haarlem and Leiden. He never travelled to Italy, although he regularly painted Italianate subjects.

 

Active in The Hague, where he joined the local Guild of Saint Luke in 1631.

Active from 1637 onwards in Haarlem, where he joined the painters ‘guild in 1638. In 1641 he married Wilhelmina, a sister of the battle scene painter Gerrit van Santen in Haarlem. His last mention in Haarlem is in August 1642, though he probably remained active here for a long time.

Active in Leiden from 1664 onwards. Documented here until 1675.

 

Strangely enough paintings by Verhaert go regularly hidden under erroneous attributions to the contemporary Flemish painter Daniel van Heil, although both their styles of painting are very different. Both painters used the same “DVH” monogram.

 

 

If I can be honest, Verhaert painted mostly rather dull landscapes for a modern eye: snapshots of a winding river, buildings at left or at right in the foreground and a hilly landscape in the background.

In just a few exceptional cases, here for example, he expanded his view panoramically: this is Dirck Verhaert at his very best. Numerous houses, churches and villages are lost in this wide view. You can look at this painting for hours and still discover something new.

 

 

Because it is one of the best, enchanting paintings by Verhaert.