Gerard Dou

Some painters have permanently transformed Dutch painting. One such figure was Gerard Dou, who, with his pronounced preference for detailed painting, not only laid the foundation for the "Leiden School" of fine painters but also contributed to the decreased importance of portrait painting. Without Dou's efforts, the online museum of the fun part of art would have been considerably smaller...

The Life of Gerard Dou

Gerrit Dou was born in 1613 in Leiden. Gerrit, yes, his first name was Gerrit, but because that name proved to be less convenient internationally, he preferred to be called Gerard in his adult life. His surname is derived from his father's first name, Douwe. This Douwe Janszoon was a Frisian who had settled in Leiden as a glass painter.

As a young boy, Gerard Dou was a hard worker, but he was not very skilled. He initially learned the trade from his father, who was a glass painter. His parents were concerned that his clumsiness might lead to accidents, so they encouraged him to pursue his talent for painting. He began his apprenticeship with a young painter who lived nearby: one Rembrandt van Rijn. He spent three years under the tutelage of this master, after which Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam, and Gerard Dou continued as a self-taught artist.

Like his mentor, Gerard Dou initially focused on portrait painting. He built a good reputation and was able to make a living from his art at an early stage. People were willing to pay a considerable amount for a Dou painting, giving him artistic freedom.

As Gerard Dou became more successful, he increasingly concentrated on detailed painting. He did fewer portraits because his precision made it uncomfortable for the sitters to sit still for so long. Therefore, he started painting more genre scenes, where he could better express his artistic talent.

With his focus on detailed painting ("fine painting") and genre scenes, Dou set the tone for future generations. His way of working became the standard in the 17th century. Gerard Dou became the founder of the Leiden School, and the famous fine painter Frans van Mieris was one of his pupils.

Gerard Dou died in 1675 as a wealthy man; he was truly a well-known figure in 17th-century Holland. Interestingly, Gerard Dou never married, and he had no offspring, but in artistic terms, he is considered the "father" of an important movement in Dutch painting.

Works by Gerard Dou

Gerard Dou was a true perfectionist. Contemporary accounts describe with amazement how the painter worked in his studio – extremely meticulous, always cautious, and fearful of even the tiniest speck of dust. Gerard Dou left nothing to chance, and this astonishing dedication is evident in his paintings: everything is precise.

During Gerard Dou's time, there were many artists who could quickly create a painting on canvas in a matter of hours, using broad brushstrokes and predictable subject matter. Gerard Dou distanced himself from these speedy painters, demonstrating that it could be done differently. However, this came at a cost. Dou gave himself a fixed hourly wage and recorded how long he worked on a painting, which often took weeks or even months. His paintings were expensive and exclusive.

You can also see Dou's meticulousness in his use of color. By working with contrasting colors in rare shades, Gerard Dou showed that he was a true fine painter. In everything he created, his work breathed Dou's vision of painting: a real painting takes time and must be unique.

Gerard Dou & the Fun Part of Art

Gerard Dou's vision of painting shifted his focus from portraits to genre scenes. A painting not only took time to create but also time to appreciate, like reading a book. Bas Zevenbergen reads that book to you in the videos we have created featuring Gerard Dou's and other fine painters' works. This art offers a fascinating glimpse into our history. Taking the time, that is the fun part of art.