BORCHT, Hendrik van der, the Elder

(b. 1583 Bruxelles, d. 1651 Frankfurt am Main)

Flemish painter, engraver, and archaeologist, active in Germany and Italy. He went to Germany with his family in 1586, and in Frankenthal he was the student of Gillis van Valckenborch (1570-1622) and Marten van Valckenborch (1535-1612). Between 1604 and 1610 he was in Italy, probably in Rome. He lived in Frankenthal from 1610 to 1627, when he settled in Frankfurt am Main. His speciality was the still-life.

His son and pupil, Hendrik van der Borcht the Younger (1614-c. 1690) was also painter.

Forest Landscape

This painting shows the painter as the typical representative of early Netherlandish landscape painting. The stylistic elements reveal the influence of Gillis van Coninxloo.

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Still-Life

This still-life consists of ancient coins, glassware and pots on a table-top with an oil lamp. Three further extant still-lifes of similarly composed compositions by Van der Borcht the Elder are known, all closely related to this intimate panel. One, a larger work of circular format is in the Hermitage, another in the Historisches Museum, Frankfurt, and a third in a private collection. Several objects from van der Borcht’s personal collection appear in more than one of his still life’s: the thin glass vase, the earthenware bowl, and some of the coins.

The panel is signed and dated lower left: HVBorcht pinxit 1630.

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Still-Life with Rarity Collection

This painting belongs to a group of three still-lifes depicting ancient coins, glass, and clay vessels.

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