PHILIPS WOUWERMAN (HAARLEM 1619-1668)

Born in Haarlem, Philips Wouwerman was initially apprenticed to Frans Hals. In 1639, Pieter van Laer, who had spent over a decade living and working in Rome, arrived in the city, constituting a highly significant moment of the painter’s early career. Wouwerman was greatly influenced by the artist; indeed, according to Arnold Houbraken’s account of his life in De groote schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen (1718-21), following van Laer’s death in circa 1641, he acquired a large quantity of sketches from the painter’s workshop.