Gerhard Jan Palthe

Gerard Jan Palthe based on a self-portrait by candlelight, engraving from Jan van Gool's Nieuwe Schouburg, 1750

Gerhard Jan Palthe (21 July 1681 in Denekamp – 30 July 1767 in Deventer), was an 18th-century painter and portraitist from the Northern Netherlands.

Biography

He was the son of a clergyman of the Walloon church. He studied with Jurriaen Pool the younger and also with Gerrit Dou. He worked for a while in Amsterdam, then in Denekamp where he married on 7 October 1714 Lena Leferink, moved to Delden and settled definitely in Deventer. He was a follower of Godfried Schalcken and made scenes by candlelight.^[1] but he is more known for his portraits.

He was the father of

• Jan,
• Adriaan ( born 8 September 1718 Deventer, died 12 July 1774 Spaarndam) sceretary to count van Wassenaer Obdam. He travelled a lot which enabled him to develop artistic knowledge. He copied a lot of famous paintings and was a crafty amateur.
• Anthony (born 17 November 1726 Deventer, died 3 May Amsterdam) was also a portraitist but after Van Eijnden et Van der Willigen, was not as good as his brother Jan. Living in Amsterdam he set up a wall paper company which was bought two years after his death by Wybrand Hendricks

Gerhard Jan Palthe and his son Jan are often mistaken and paintings ill attributed

References

• Gerhard Jan Palthe on Artnet

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