VLIET, Willem van der

(b. ~1584 Delft, d. 1642 Delft)

Dutch painter. He started as a history painter, and only later took up portraiture. He may have trained with Michiel van Miereveld about 1605. His Caravaggesque genre scenes dating from the mid-1620s shows influence by Utrecht Carravaggists such as Van Honthorst and Peter Wtewael (1596-1660) and by the Leiden painter Jan Lievens. Later on in his career he emphasised more classicist tendencies, subduing theatrics and action in favour of calm, timeless and stately compositions.

He joined the Delft painters’ guild in 1615, in 1633 served as headman, together with Jacob Vosmaer. At the time his nephew and pupil, Hendrick van der Vliet, was a new member of the guild. He married twice, in 1618 and 1636, the second time as a widow. Neither marriage is known to produce children.

Known paintings by the artist, which includes portraits, genre scenes and allegories, date between 1624 and 1640.

An Allegory

The subject of this painting, sophisticated in style as well as in iconography, is not certainly known, although there are several interpretations. According to one interpretation the seated man is the Steadfast Philosopher, the woman is Earthly Love, and the masked man with the money bag and box of scales and weights represents Riches.

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Philosopher and Pupils

Van Vliet, a Delft painter absorbed ideas from Antwerp and Utrecht, and played some part in passing the to artists in nearby cities such as Rotterdam, Gouda, and The Hague.

In the 19th century this painting was considered to be by Van Honthorst.

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Portrait of a Man

The identity of the seated man with a hat is not known. Part of the hat was later overpainted.

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