Gerrit van honthorst biography of michael jackson

Dutch painter (1592–1656)

Gerard van Honthorst (Dutch: Gerrit van Honthorst; 4 November 1592 – 27 April 1656)^[1] was a Dutch Golden Age painter who became known for his depiction of artificially lit scenes, eventually receiving the nickname Gherardo delle Notti ("Gerard of the Nights").^[1] Early in his career he visited Rome, where he had great success painting in a style influenced by Caravaggio.

Following his return to the Netherlands he became a leading portrait painter. Van Honthorst's contemporaries included Utrecht painters Hendrick Ter Brugghen and Dirck van Baburen.^[2]

Early life

Van Honthorst was born in Utrecht, the son of a decorative painter, and trained under his father, and then under Abraham Bloemaert.^[3]

Italy

Having completed his education, Honthorst went to Italy, where he is first recorded in 1616.^[3] He was one of the artists from Utrecht who went to Rome at aro Gerrit van Honthorst, A Cheerful Violin Player who Holds a Lute FYVEQ