Johannes Vorstermans

Johannes Vorstermans (John Vosterman; ca.1643, Zaltbommel – ca.1699/1719, Zaltbommel), was a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter. Considered superior to all of his contemporaries, Otto Vorsterman had married the widow of the mayor of Zaltbommel, so young Vorstermans travelled to France with his inheritance money.

Career A vain man, instead of following his profession, he assumed the rank of a baron in Paris, maintaining a suite of servants. When he was under the greatest pressure from a large debt, he would pretend illness, seclude himself, and work industriously. In order to prove that he was not in want of money, he gave away some of his best pictures to persons of high rank. This extravagance did not last long, and in 1672, he was obliged to return to Utrecht. He was at his sister's from 1672 to 1674, before leaving for England. He left England after encountering financial difficulties, and accompanied the marquis de Béthune to France.

He surpassed, by many degrees, all the landscape painters of his time, in neatness of touch and delicacy of finishing. His taste was Flemish, but he worked up his pictures in an exquisite manner, and enriched them with small figures, which had exactness. His scenes were well chosen, and generally are views of the Rhine, designed with accuracy. In these views he constantly represents a large extent of country, diversified with hills, lawns, groves, and windings of the river, and comprised the most extensive scenes in a small compass. His tone of colouring is considering pleasing, and his touch is described as "tender, yet full of spirit".