Herman Verelst

Herman Verelst (1641, Rotterdam – 1699, London) was an Anglo-Dutch painter.

Biography Verelst (baptized 5 December 1641, Rotterdam) was the eldest son of Pieter Verelst and his first wife, Adriana van Gesel. Pieter Verelst was a successful artist working mainly in The Hague and was followed into painting by four of his sons: Herman, Simon, John (1648–1679) and William (1651–1702). Herman was trained in The Hague by his father alongside his brothers Simon and John, mainly on fruit and flower pieces painted on paper and pasteboard. The couple went on to have at least seven children of which Lodvick, John, Michael and Adriana became artists with varying levels of success. Cornelius Verelst and Maria Verelst are often identified as their children. There is no record of these names amongst their children, arguably being due to errors made in near-contemporary biographies. His father and siblings left The Hague in about 1667 but Verelst was still working in Amsterdam in 1670 where he sued a Johannes van Keulen for payment in advance for two paintings.

Verelst died in late July or early August 1699 and was buried at St Giles in the Fields, London. If there were a will, it has not survived. Cecilia was granted probate. Verelst seemed to have provided generously for his children: when Adriana was separating from her husband in 1717, her husband claimed that she had been apportioned a share of household goods, furniture, pictures and other possessions. An auction of his picture collection was held in 1702 organised by his son Peter. The catalogue includes a number of paintings by Verelst's brother William who had died in 1702. It seems that Verelst's sale was used by the family to dispose of art belonging to the less well-known William. Cornelis Calkoen (1639-1710), 1666, oil on canvas, 120.0 cm × 93.0 cm. The Hague, Instituut Collectie Nederland, inv. C1785. Petronella Haack (1638-1683), 1666, oil on canvas, 120.0 cm × 93.0 cm. The Hague, Instituut Collectie Nederland, inv. C1786. Portret van een man [Portrait of a man], 1667, oil on canvas, 127.0 cm × 104.0 cm, signed (H. Verlest) and dated. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. SK-C-24. Portret van een vrouwn [Portrait of a woman], 1667, oil on canvas, 127.0 cm × 104.0 cm, signed (H. Verlest) and dated. Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, inv. SK-C-25. Peaches, grapes and redcurrants on a ledge, , oil on canvas, 74.3 cm × 62.3 cm. Oxford, Worcester College, inv. 024. Janez Jakob pl. Wiederkehrn [Johann Jacob von Wiederkehr], 1678, oil on canvas, 103.5 cm × 84.0 cm. Ljubljana, Narodna galerija, inv. NG S 649. Marija Elizabeta Wiederkehr, 1681, oil on canvas, 103.0 cm × 84.5 cm. Ljubljana, Narodna galerija, inv. NG S 634. Member of the Dashwood Family, , oil on canvas, 94.0 cm × 79.0 cm. London, Guildhall Art Gallery, inv. 1568. Portrait of a lady, thought to be Dionesse Cullum, wife of Robert Colman, , oil on canvas, 75.0 cm × 63.0 cm. London, Tate Gallery, inv. T07241. John Locke, 1689, oil on canvas, 90.2 cm × 75.6 cm. London, National Portrait Gallery, inv. 3846. Portrait of a lady with a dog, 1689, oil on canvas, 124.5 cm × 101.5 cm. Preston, Lancs, Harris Museum & Art Gallery, inv. PRSMG : P182.

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