Philips Wouwerman

Philips Wouwerman , 1619-68, Dutch painter of Haarlem. He is best known for his spirited scenes of battles, encampments, cavalry skirmishes, and hunts. Of these he painted several hundred, of varying excellence, but characterized by brilliant color, vivacity, and excellent composition. Figures and landscape are given almost equal prominence and are skillfully combined. He is represented in many important European galleries. His brothers Pieter, 1623-82, and Jan, 1629-66, imitated his style, Pieter with considerable success.

Wouwerman, Philips (or Philips Wouwermans) (bapt. Haarlem, 24 May 1619; d Haarlem, 19 May 1668). The most celebrated member of a family of Dutch painters from Haarlem, where he worked virtually all his life. He became a member of the painters' guild in 1640 and is said by a contemporary source to have been a pupil of Frans Hals. The only thing he has in common with Hals, however, is his nimble brushwork, for he specialized in landscapes of hilly country with horses—cavalry skirmishes, camps, hunts, travellers halting outside an inn, and so on. In this genre he was immensely prolific and also immensely successful—Houbraken says he left his daughter a dowry of 20,000 guilders. He had many imitators, including his brother Peter (1623–82), and his great popularity continued throughout the 18th century, when he was a favourite with princely collectors, and engravings after his work had wide circulation. Subsequently he has perhaps been underrated, for although he was usually content to follow a successful formula, he maintained high standards; his draughtsmanship is elegant, his composition sure, his colouring delicate, and his touch lively. Examples of his work are in many galleries; the biggest collections are in Dresden (Gemäldegalerie) and St Petersburg (Hermitage), but he is also very well represented in London (Dulwich Picture Gal., NG, Wallace Coll., Wellington Mus.).

Wouwerman (or Wouwermans, Philips) (1619–68). The most celebrated member of a family of Dutch painters from Haarlem, where he worked virtually all his life. He became a member of the painters' guild in 1640 and is said by a contemporary source to have been a pupil of Frans Hals. The only thing he has in common with Hals, however, is his nimble brushwork, for he specialized in landscapes of hilly country with horses—cavalry skirmishes, camps, hunts, travellers halting outside an inn, and so on. In this genre he was immensely prolific and also immensely successful—Houbraken says he left his daughter a dowry of 20,000 guilders. He had many imitators, including his brother Peter (1623–82), and his great popularity continued throughout the 18th century, when he was a favourite with princely collectors and engravings after his work had wide circulation. Subsequently he has perhaps been underrated, for although his work generally follows a successful formula, he maintained high standards; his draughtsmanship is elegant, his composition sure, his colouring delicate, and his touch lively.