VOORT, Cornelis van der

(b. ~1576 Antwerpen, d. 1624 Amsterdam)

Flemish painter. He studied with the Amsterdam painter Cornelis Ketel. In 1606 his brother Hans, a tailor, bought three parcels in Amsterdam on which two houses were built. Hans moved in the one on the corner, and Cornelis in the one next to it. Only a few years later Cornelis sold the house; in 1639 Rembrandt and his wife Saskia van Uylenburgh moved in. Today it is the Rembrandt House Museum.

Van der Voort painted full-length portraits in contemporary interiors, his work was in great demand and held in high esteem. He was among the most important portrait painters in Amsterdam until his untimely death at the age of 48 in 1624. Only in the past century has his influence on early Dutch portraiture been recognized due to the fact that many of his works had been previously given to contemporaries such as Nicolaes Eliasz. Pickenoy and Thomas de Keyser. A number of successful artists studied under van der Voort in Amsterdam, notably David Bailly, Thomas de Keyser and Willem Cornelisz. Duyster. He had an influence on the early portraits of Rembrandt.

Portrait of a Gentleman

The painting shows a portrait of a bearded gentleman, three quarter length, wearing a ruff. Portrait of a Gentleman and its pendant, Portrait of a Woman were almost certainly painted to commemorate the marriage of the unidentified couple. Their poses follow the traditional lines of formal portraiture of the first quarter of the 17th century.

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Portrait of a Woman

The painting shows a portrait of a woman, three quarter length, wearing an elaborate lace ruff, cap and cuffs. Portrait of a Gentleman and its pendant, Portrait of a Woman were almost certainly painted to commemorate the marriage of the unidentified couple. Their poses follow the traditional lines of formal portraiture of the first quarter of the 17th century.

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