Adriaen van der Werff
A Dutch painter whose hyper-polished, idealized scenes made him the most expensive and sought-after artist in Europe around 1700.
1659–1722 (age 63)·Dutch painter·Birthday: January 21
Biography
Adriaen van der Werff emerged from the Rotterdam workshop of Eglon van der Neer to become a phenomenon. In an era transitioning from Baroque grandeur to Rococo elegance, van der Werff's style was his own: a breathtaking, enamel-smooth finish applied to mythological and biblical subjects. His figures, often nude or semi-clad, possessed an almost porcelain perfection that captivated aristocratic patrons across the continent. His crowning achievement was his appointment as court painter to Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, a voracious collector who paid him astronomical sums. While later critics would dismiss his work as cold and overly refined, his contemporary success was undeniable, representing the pinnacle of Dutch finish and technical precision for a generation of European nobility.
#1 When Adriaen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1659
Adriaen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1659Born
1664Started school
1672Became a teenager
1675Could drive
1677Could vote
1680Turned 21
1689Turned 30
1699Turned 40
1709Turned 50
1719Turned 60
1722Died at 63
Key Achievements
- Appointed official court painter to Elector Palatine Johann Wilhelm in Düsseldorf, with an extraordinary lifetime salary.
- Executed commissions for powerful patrons including the Medici family in Florence.
- His painting 'The Judgment of Paris' was considered one of his masterworks and highly prized in royal collections.
Did You Know?
His younger brother, Pieter, worked as his principal assistant and often completed his paintings.
A 1720 inventory listed over 100 of his works in the collection of his patron, the Elector Palatine.
His studio practice was so systematic that he produced detailed oil sketches for his compositions, many of which survive.
“The greatest art lies in the smooth and perfect finish.”
