Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands ( Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiograph ...

town hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...

Mechelen Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...

Lucas Faydherbe Lucas Faydherbe (also spelled Lucas Faijdherbe; he signed as Lucas Fayd'herbe) (Mechelen, 19 January 1617 – Mechelen, 31 December 1697)Cynthia Lawrence. "Verhulst, Rombout."
Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University Press. Web. 5 July 2021. It is assumed that between 1646 and 1654 he made a trip to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

.

Interieur noordgalerij, noordwesthoek- beeld van Venus - Amsterdam - 20011712 - RCE (cropped)

In 1646 he moved to

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

, where he worked on the decoration of the new

town hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

as a member of the workshop n Amsterdam of the Flemish sculptor Artus Quellinus the Elder, the leading Flemish Baroque sculptor of his time. From 1650 onwards, Quellinus worked for fifteen years on the new

city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

in Amsterdam together with the lead architect

Jacob van Campen Jacob van Campen (2 February 1596 - 13 September 1657) was a Dutch artist and architect of the Golden Age. Life He was born into a wealthy family at Haarlem, and spent his youth in his home town. Being of noble birth and with time on his hand ...

. Now called the Royal Palace on the Dam, this construction project, and in particular the marble decorations that Quellinus and his workshop produced, became an example for other buildings in Amsterdam. Quellinus invited many Flemish sculptors to assist him in the realisation of this project. Many of these collaborators such as his cousin

Artus Quellinus II Artus Quellinus II or Artus Quellinus the Younger (alternative first name: Arnold; variation on family name: Quellijn, Quellyn, Quellien, Quellin, Quellinius) (between 10 and 20 November 1625, Sint-Truiden – 22 November 1700, Antwerp) was a ...

,

Bartholomeus Eggers Bartholomeus Eggers (c. 1637Bartholomeus Eggers
at the

and

Gabriël Grupello Gabriël Grupello (also Gabriël de Grupello or Gabriël Reppeli; 22 May 1644 – 20 June 1730) was a Flemish Baroque sculptor who produced religious and mythological sculptures, portraits and public sculptures. He worked in Flanders, France and G ...

would become leading sculptors in their own right. The sculptural decorations in the Amsterdam city hall established the international reputation of Quellinus and his workshop and would lead to many more foreign commissions for the Quellinus workshop including in Germany, Denmark and England. This helped further spread the Flemish Baroque idiom in Europe.Helena Bussers, ''De baroksculptuur en het barok''
at Openbaar Kunstbezit Vlaanderen Verhulst held an independent position among Quellinus' co-workers as is apparent from the fact that he was the only one to individually sign works in this project. He also employed his own assistants such as the Flemish sculptor

Nicolaes Millich Nicolaes Millich or Nicholas Millich (1629-c. 1699) was a Flemish sculptor, architect and designer of armor and ephemeral objects.Nicolas Millich
at the

Netherlands Institute for Art History The Netherlands Institute for Art History or RKD (Dutch: RKD-Nederlands Instituut voor Kunstgeschiedenis), previously Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), is located in The Hague and is home to the largest art history center i ...

At the Amsterdam town hall, he is known to have executed the reliefs of ''Venus'', ''Fidelity'' and ''Silence'' for the galleries and terracotta studies for the bronze doors of the ''

Vierschaar A Vierschaar is a historical term for a tribunal in the Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , establis ...

''.Sheila D. Muller, ''Dutch Art: An Encyclopedia'', Routledge, 4 July 2013, p. 432 In 1663, Verhulst worked in Leiden as an independent master and completed works on municipal buildings and his first funeral monuments. He then moved to The Hague around 1664 and built a network of private patrons in which the van Reygersbergh family played a pivotal role. In 1663 Verhulst completed a funeral monument for Maria van Reygersbergh in the church of Katwijk-Binnen. This was the first private commission for this type of work in the second half of the 17th century. His patronage shifted gradually from Amsterdam to

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

. He died, aged 74, in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

. He was the teacher of

Jan Blommendael Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...

and

Jan Ebbelaer Jan, JaN or JAN may refer to: Acronyms * Jackson, Mississippi (Amtrak station), US, Amtrak station code JAN * Jackson-Evers International Airport, Mississippi, US, IATA code * Jabhat al-Nusra (JaN), a Syrian militant group * Japanese Article Num ...

.Rombout Verhulst
at the

Netherlands Institute for Art History The Netherlands Institute for Art History or RKD (Dutch: RKD-Nederlands Instituut voor Kunstgeschiedenis), previously Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie (RKD), is located in The Hague and is home to the largest art history center i ...

Work

Rombout Verhulst is best known for his many tomb monuments, but he made also portrait busts, garden sculptures and small-scale works in ivory. Rombout Verhulst - Bust of Jacob van Reygersberg

Rombout Verhulst - Bust of Jacob van Reygersberg

His portrait oeuvre is rather small, which demonstrates that there was only a limited market for portrait sculptures in the Dutch Republic.Frits Scholten, ''"Mea Sorte Contentus": Rombout Verhulst's Portrait of Jacob van Reygersberg'', in: 'The J. Paul Getty Museum Journal: Volume 19, 1991', The J. Paul Getty Museum Getty Pub, p. 65-74 One of his best-known portraits is the marble bust of

Jacob van Reygersbergh Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Isla ...

dated 1671, now in the

Getty Museum The J. Paul Getty Museum, commonly referred to as the Getty, is an art museum in Los Angeles, California housed on two campuses: the Getty Center and Getty Villa. The Getty Center is located in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles and ...

in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

. A terracotta study for this work is in the Rijksmuseum and it differs from the marble version only in details. This portrait bust shows Verhulst's virtuosity and the naturalism of his style. He removed any tendency to idealize the sitter in this work. An important portrait bust attributed to Verhulst is that of Antonio Lopes Suasso, a leading Jewish merchant and banker in Amsterdam. This works was earlier attributed to Quellinus but is now given to Verhulst on stylistic grounds.Isaac Israel Suasso, alias Antonio Lopes Suasso (1614-1685), Baron van Avernas Le Gras, bankier, koopman, 1675 - 1695, toegeschreven aan Rombout Verhulst (1624-01-15 - 1698)
at the Rijksmuseum In his terracotta portraits he was able to create a living presence through his sensitive handling of the physiognomy and a correct evocation of the sitter's personality. Verhulst is mainly remembered for this many tomb monuments for private and public patrons. His funeral monument for Maria van Reygersbergh of 1663 established his reputation in this area with its new and imposing style. He made many church monuments erected to commemorate Dutch naval heroes. His chief work in this area (though possibly not his most successful creation) is the decorated tomb of the Dutch naval hero

Michiel de Ruyter Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (; 24 March 1607 – 29 April 1676) was a Dutch admiral. Widely celebrated and regarded as one of the most skilled admirals in history, De Ruyter is arguably most famous for his achievements with the Dutch N ...

in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. Another important tomb monument was that of Carl Hieronymus Baron van In- en Kniphuizen and Anna van Ewsum made for the Dutch Reformed church in Midwolde (Westerkwartier). It was made at the request of the widow of the Baron and was one of the few private commissions for tomb monuments in the Dutch Republic. It is a variation on the traditional double tomb, which combines two figures, the recumbent dead person, and the other living one raised on an elbow. The widow Anna van Ewsum takes centre stage by gazing straight at the viewer. A statue of the second husband of the widow made by

Bartholomeus Eggers Bartholomeus Eggers (c. 1637Bartholomeus Eggers
at the

was later added to the tomb replacing two putti holding ''memento mori'' symbols.F. Scholten (2003
''Sumptuous Memories, Studies in seventeenth-century Dutch tomb sculpture''
Zwolle: Waanders. In addition to the monumental commissions he completed, Verhulst made small-scale ivory carvings, a specialty for which his home town Mechelen was particularly known. A small ivory ''Virgin and Child'' held in the

Rijksmuseum The Rijksmuseum () is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history and is located in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough of Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the ...

shows his skill in this regard. He has carved the thick, wavy locks of hair of the chubby Christ Child and the heavy drapery with such realism that they appear almost tangible. Although his style was indebted to Artus Quellinus, he did not completely adopt Quellinus' classicist tendencies. Verhulst's work is warmer in conception and executed with greater refinement and therein resembles more that of the Antwerp sculptors from the circle of

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradit ...

, including Johannes van Mildert and Lucas Faydherbe. His work was usually more realistic than that of Quellinus and is less dramatic.

Selected works

Rombout Verhulst - Tomb of Michiel de Ruyter, central part

*"

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never f ...

and the swan" and portrayals of Modesty and Fidelity (ca. 1654), galleries of the Amsterdam city hall in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

*Decorated tomb of

Jan van Galen Johan "Jan" van Galen (1604 – 23 March 1653) was a Commodore of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands. he participated in the First Anglo-Dutch War. Biography Johan van Galen was born in Essen. He fought in the ...

(About 1655), the New Church in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

. The design is by Artus Quellinus, the sea-battle scene is by Willem de Keyser. *The tomb of

Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp (also written as ''Maerten Tromp''; 23 April 1598 – 31 July 1653) was a Dutch army general and admiral in the Dutch navy. Son of a ship's captain, Tromp spent much of his childhood at sea, including being captured ...

(Completed 1656), the Oude Kerk in

Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...

. The design is probably by

Jacob van Campen Jacob van Campen (2 February 1596 - 13 September 1657) was a Dutch artist and architect of the Golden Age. Life He was born into a wealthy family at Haarlem, and spent his youth in his home town. Being of noble birth and with time on his hand ...

and the sea-battle scene by Willem de Keyser. *Sculpture on the facade of the

Waag A weighhouse or weighing house is a public building at or within which goods are weighed. Most of these buildings were built before 1800, prior to the establishment of international standards for weights, and were often a large and representative ...

(1657),

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...

*Relief representing the

plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...

in the form of a Fury (1660), above the gate of the

plague house A pest house, plague house, pesthouse or fever shed was a type of building used for persons afflicted with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, smallpox or typhus. Often used for forcible quarantine, many towns and cities had one ...

in

Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...

*

Epitaph An epitaph (; ) is a short text honoring a deceased person. Strictly speaking, it refers to text that is inscribed on a tombstone or plaque, but it may also be used in a figurative sense. Some epitaphs are specified by the person themselves be ...

for Pieter van der Werff (1661), Hooglandse Church, Leiden *A lion above the gate at the base of the Burcht at Leiden (1662) *Tomb of Willem van Lyere and

Maria van Reigersberch Maria van Reigersberch (Veere? or Boulogne-sur-Mer?, 7 October 1589? — The Hague, 19 April 1653) was the wife of Hugo Grotius, who helped him escape in 1621 from Loevestein Castle during his incarceration there after his 1619 trial. Early li ...

, Dorpskerk at

Katwijk aan den Rijn Katwijk aan den Rijn (Katwijk on the Rhine) is a town in the municipality of Katwijk in the province of South Holland, in The Netherlands, with approximately 6020 inhabitants. Katwijk aan den Rijn lies between Katwijk aan Zee, Valkenburg and Rij ...

*Tomb for Johan Polyander Kerkhoven (1663),

Pieterskerk, Leiden The Pieterskerk is a late- Gothic Dutch Protestant church in Leiden dedicated to Saint Peter. It is known today as the church of the Pilgrim Fathers, where the pastor John Robinson was buried. It is also the burial place of the scientist Wil ...

*Tomb of Carel Hieronymus van In- and Kniphuisen (1665–69) in the church at Midwolde *Epitaph for Hendrick Thibaut and his wife and daughter (1669) in the church of

Aagtekerke Aagtekerke () is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Veere, and lies about northwest of Middelburg. History The village was first mentioned in 1327 as "in atrio Sanctae Agathae", and means church d ...

*Epitaph for

schout-bij-nacht () is a Dutch Naval rank, with a NATO rank of OF-7. The ' was responsible for ensuring that fleet continued to sail in the prescribed order at night. The title comes from the title of the officer who replaced the admiral at night and was therefo ...

Willem van der Zaen (1670) in Amsterdam *Epitaph for Theodor Graswinckel (1670), Grote Kerk at

the Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

*Epitaph for Johannes of Gheel (ca. 1670), church at

Spanbroek Spanbroek is a small city in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Opmeer, and lies about northwest of Hoorn.''ANWB Topografische Atlas Nederland'', Topografische Dienst and ANWB, 2005. History Spanbroek was ...

*Tomb for Adriaan Clant (1672), church at

Stedum Stedum () is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Eemsdelta, about northeast of the city of Groningen. Stedum was a separate municipality until 1990, when it merged with Loppersum. The German munici ...

*Epitaph for

Isaac Sweers Isaac Sweers (occasionally Ysaack Sweerts; 1 January 1622 – 22 August 1673) was a 17th-century Dutch vice-admiral with the Admiralty of Amsterdam who fought in the Anglo-Dutch Wars The Anglo–Dutch Wars ( nl, Engels–Nederlandse ...

(1674), Oude Kerk at Amsterdam *Tomb monument of Hieronymus Hieronymus van Tuyll van Serooskerken (ca. 1675), church at

Stavenisse Stavenisse is a village in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Tholen, and lies about west of Bergen op Zoom. History The village was first mentioned in 1206 as Stauenesse, and is a combination of headland and wo ...

*Tomb of

lieutenant-admiral Lieutenant admiral () is a senior naval military rank in the Royal Netherlands Navy. The rank is a four-star rank, senior to a vice-admiral () and equivalent to admiral in most foreign navies. It is used whenever the Dutch Chief of Defence is ...

Willem Joseph van Ghent Willem Joseph baron van Ghent tot Drakenburgh (14 May 1626 – 7 June 1672) was a 17th-century Dutch admiral. His surname is also sometimes rendered Gendt or Gent. Early career Van Ghent was baptised on 14 May 1626, in the church of Wi ...

(1676), Domkerk in

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...

. *Tomb of

Michiel de Ruyter Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (; 24 March 1607 – 29 April 1676) was a Dutch admiral. Widely celebrated and regarded as one of the most skilled admirals in history, De Ruyter is arguably most famous for his achievements with the Dutch N ...

(completed 1681), Nieuwe Kerk in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

*Tomb monument for

Johan Johan * Johan (given name) * Johan (film), ''Johan'' (film), a 1921 Swedish film directed by Mauritz Stiller * Johan (band), a Dutch pop-group ** Johan (album), ''Johan'' (album), a 1996 album by the group * Johan Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, Nunav ...

and Cornelis Evertsen (1680–82), Wandelkerk in

Middelburg Middelburg may refer to: Places and jurisdictions Europe * Middelburg, Zeeland, the capital city of the province of Zeeland, southwestern Netherlands ** Roman Catholic Diocese of Middelburg, a former Catholic diocese with its see in the Zeeland ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Verhulst, Rombout 1624 births 1698 deaths Flemish Baroque sculptors Ivory carvers Artists from Mechelen Dutch male sculptors