Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem
1562-1638
Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem was Dutch Mannerist painter and draughtsman. He was one of the leading Mannerist artists in The Netherlands, and an important forerunner of Frans Hals.
Cornelis Cornelisz (Corneliszoon) was born and raised in Haarlem. When his parents fled Haarlem in 1572, as the Spanish army laid siege to the city during the Eighty Years’ War, Corneliszoon remained behind and was raised by the painter Pieter Pietersz, his first teacher. Later, Corneliszoon studied in Rouen, France and Antwerp, Belgium.
Cornelis Corneliszoon was a member of the Mannerist school of Haarlem, which was highly influenced by the work of Bartholomeus Spranger.
Corneliszoon in 1583 received his first official commission from the city of Haarlem, a militia company portrait, the Banquet of the Haarlem Civic Guard. He later became city painter of Haarlem and received numerous official commissions.
He painted mainly portraits as well as mythological and Biblical subjects. Initially Corneliszoon painted large-size, highly stylized works with mannerist, twisted figures. Later, his work got more of a naturalistic character.
Together with Carel van Mander, Hendrick Goltzius and other artists, Corneliszoon formed the Haarlem Academy. Corneliszoon also played a role in reorganizing the artists’ and artisans’ guild of St. Luke, eliminating its medieval organization and raising the status of the artists.
