- NameThomas Willeboirts Bosschaert
- Sexmale
- Nationality/DatesFlemish, born 1613 or 1614, born 1613 or 1614, dead 1654
BiographyThomas Willeboirts Bosschaert became a
student in Gerard Seghers’ workshop in Antwerp in
1626. It is not impossible that shortly afterwards he
was working for Anthony van Dyck, who had a large,
well-frequented studio in Antwerp from 1627 to
1632. He travelled for three years in Germany, Italy
and Spain. In 1636/1637 he was admitted as a master
into Antwerp’s Guild of St. Luke and in 1650 became
a deacon in the painter’s guild. He executed numerous
religious compositions for churches and abbeys
and also for sale in the city. Between 1636 and 1638
he was employed by Rubens on the series of mythological
paintings for the Torre de la Parada, the hunting
lodge of the Spanish King Filip IV. The numerous
commissions he received from the Dutch Stadt -
holder in The Hague were also of great importance.
Between 1651 and 1654 he painted a number of
mythological-allegorical and religious works for Frederick
Hendrik of Orange-Nassau and his wife Amalia
van Solms. Willeboirts Bosschaert corresponded with
Constantin Huygens, the secretary to the Stadtholder
between 1641 and 1650. He was also involved in the
decoration of Huis ten Bosch, where he painted seventeen
scenes from Greek mythology. Willeboirts
Bosschaert was the first of the younger generation of
painters that continued to work in the spirit of Van
Dyck. In Antwerp he instructed several pupils.