VAN OSTADE, Adriaen (Haarlem, 1610 – Haarlem, 1685)
Baptised in Haarlem in December 1610, Adriaen was the son of Jan Hendricksz., of Eindhoven and Janneke Hendriksdr. He and his younger brother Isack (1621–1649), who also became a painter, probably adopted their surname from a village of that name near Eindhoven. Adriaen is first mentioned by this name in 1636, but had already been documented as a painter as early as 1632. He joined the Haarlem guild in 1634 and served as hoofdman in 1647 and 1661 and deken in 1662. In 1636 he was a member of the militia company “Oude Schuts.” He was married in Haarlem in 1638 to Machetje Pietersdr, who died four years later. Ostade was remarried to Anna Ingels (d. 1666) in 1657; his new bride came from a wealthy Catholic family. Ostade may have converted at the time of his marriage. He seems to have spent virtually all his life in Haarlem, where he was buried in St Bavo’s Cathedral in May of 1685. At the time of his death he was living in the Ridderstraat in a well-to-do neighbourhood in Haarlem.
According to Arnold Houbraken, Ostade was a pupil of Frans Hals (1581/5–1666) at the same time (around 1627) as Adriaen Brouwer (1605/6–1638). While Hals had little discernible influence on the artist, Brouwer made a clear impact on his contemporary’s approach to low life genre painting. After about 1640, Ostade seems to have been influenced by Rembrandt’s lighting effects. While his brother died young, Adriaen had a long and productive career as a painter, draftsman, and etcher of peasant life. He also executed a few biblical subjects, several portraits and landscapes. Among his many followers, Cornelis Dusart is perhaps the best known. His pupils included, Cornelis Bega and Jan Steen.
Peter C. Sutton
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