Dirk Rafelsz Camphuysen
Encyclopedia
Dirk Rafelsz Camphuysen (1586, Gorinchem
– 9 July 1627, Dokkum
) was a Dutch painter, poet and theologian.
whose father Hans van Mazeik was beheaded for his beliefs. His mother died when young Dirk was eight, and his father followed her soon after into the grave. Camphuysen manifested great artistic talent. His older brother, who took over his father's surgical business, sent young Dirk to learn drawing from the painter Dirck Govertsz, who later also taught his son
and his son's contemporary Hendrik Verschuring
. He practised art quite successfully until the age of eighteen, whereupon he started to study languages. Houbraken saw some of his paintings and drawings and said he did well at landscapes with farmsheds and animals. Houbraken also mentions maneschyn or moonlight scenes.
At Leiden Camphuysen was recommended as a tutor to the 'Heer van Langerak', so deserted the pursuit of art, to become a private tutor and secretary in Nieuwpoort (Netherlands)
, where he studied theology in his free time. After substituting a few times for pastor Taurinus in the Domkerk in Utrecht (city)
, he was appointed minister of Vleuten
by his boss, 'Heer van Langerak'. He married and was relatively successful as a minister, but he had embraced the doctrines of Arminianism
, and like other Arminians or Remonstrants, he was banned from ministry and teaching and driven into exile (1619). Another painter-minister Lambert Jacobsz
told him to leave the ministry and take up safer pursuits. He apparently took up poetry rather than painting, since so few of his paintings survive today. Houbraken claimed to have taken his information from Life of Dirk Rafelsz. Kamphuizen, a pamphlet that was published 4 times; first in Rotterdam, by Barent Bos, 1683, then in Amsterdam, by Jan Rieuwertsz, 1699 (this is the version Houbraken read); third in Amsterdam, by Marten Schagen, 1723, and lastly in Amsterdam, by Petrus Conradi, 1775.
Camphuysen's chief solace was poetry; and he has left a translation of the Psalms, and a number of short pieces, remarkable for their freshness and depth of poetic feeling. He is also the author of several theological works of fair merit, among which is a Compendium Doctrinae Sociniorum; but his fame chiefly rests on his pictures, which, like his poems, are mostly small, but of great beauty; the coloring, though thin, is pure; the composition and pencilling are exquisite, and the perspective above criticism.
The best of his works are his sunset and moonlight scenes and his views of the Rhine and other rivers. The close of his life was spent at Dokkum. His nephew Raphael (b. 1598) is by some considered to have been the author of several of the works ascribed to him; and his son Govaert
(1624-1674), a follower or imitator of Paul Potter, is similarly credited. Houbraken was surprised he let his son learn painting, since his biography seemed to be a treatise against the pursuit of arts.
Gorinchem
Gorinchem , also called Gorkum , is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality covers an area of 21.99 km² of which 3.03 km² is water...
– 9 July 1627, Dokkum
Dokkum
Dokkum is a Dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. It has 13,145 inhabitants . The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the bolwerken . - History :...
) was a Dutch painter, poet and theologian.
Biography
According to Houbraken, he was the son of a respected surgeon at Gorcum. His mother was a mennoniteMennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
whose father Hans van Mazeik was beheaded for his beliefs. His mother died when young Dirk was eight, and his father followed her soon after into the grave. Camphuysen manifested great artistic talent. His older brother, who took over his father's surgical business, sent young Dirk to learn drawing from the painter Dirck Govertsz, who later also taught his son
Govert Dircksz Camphuysen
Govert Dircksz Camphuysen, who was born at Dokkum in 1624, and died in Amsterdam in 1672, was an animal painter, whose style was influenced by Paulus Potter....
and his son's contemporary Hendrik Verschuring
Hendrik Verschuring
Hendrik Verschuring was a Dutch Golden Age landscape painter from Gorinchem who often decorated his landscapes with soldiers on horseback.-Biography:His father was a hopman, which is a Dutch term for a flag bearer of a schutterij...
. He practised art quite successfully until the age of eighteen, whereupon he started to study languages. Houbraken saw some of his paintings and drawings and said he did well at landscapes with farmsheds and animals. Houbraken also mentions maneschyn or moonlight scenes.
At Leiden Camphuysen was recommended as a tutor to the 'Heer van Langerak', so deserted the pursuit of art, to become a private tutor and secretary in Nieuwpoort (Netherlands)
Nieuwpoort (Netherlands)
Nieuwpoort is a tiny city in the Netherlands in the municipality of Liesveld. It has the number of inhabitants to be called a village, but because the place was given city rights in 1283, it still is called a city....
, where he studied theology in his free time. After substituting a few times for pastor Taurinus in the Domkerk in Utrecht (city)
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, he was appointed minister of Vleuten
Vleuten
Vleuten is a former village in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is a part of the city of Utrecht, and lies about 6 km west of it. In 2001, it became together with De Meern, a city part of Utrecht called Vleuten-De Meern. Vleuten has a railway station on the line between Utrecht and Woerden.In...
by his boss, 'Heer van Langerak'. He married and was relatively successful as a minister, but he had embraced the doctrines of Arminianism
Arminianism
Arminianism is a school of soteriological thought within Protestant Christianity based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius and his historic followers, the Remonstrants...
, and like other Arminians or Remonstrants, he was banned from ministry and teaching and driven into exile (1619). Another painter-minister Lambert Jacobsz
Lambert Jacobsz
Lambert Jacobsz, also Lambert Jacobsz. or Lambert Jacobszoon , was a Dutch Golden Age painter and preacher.Jacobsz was born in Amsterdam. He was the father of Abraham Lambertsz van den Tempel, and primarily painted figures. He was also active in his local Mennonite community...
told him to leave the ministry and take up safer pursuits. He apparently took up poetry rather than painting, since so few of his paintings survive today. Houbraken claimed to have taken his information from Life of Dirk Rafelsz. Kamphuizen, a pamphlet that was published 4 times; first in Rotterdam, by Barent Bos, 1683, then in Amsterdam, by Jan Rieuwertsz, 1699 (this is the version Houbraken read); third in Amsterdam, by Marten Schagen, 1723, and lastly in Amsterdam, by Petrus Conradi, 1775.
Camphuysen's chief solace was poetry; and he has left a translation of the Psalms, and a number of short pieces, remarkable for their freshness and depth of poetic feeling. He is also the author of several theological works of fair merit, among which is a Compendium Doctrinae Sociniorum; but his fame chiefly rests on his pictures, which, like his poems, are mostly small, but of great beauty; the coloring, though thin, is pure; the composition and pencilling are exquisite, and the perspective above criticism.
The best of his works are his sunset and moonlight scenes and his views of the Rhine and other rivers. The close of his life was spent at Dokkum. His nephew Raphael (b. 1598) is by some considered to have been the author of several of the works ascribed to him; and his son Govaert
Govert Dircksz Camphuysen
Govert Dircksz Camphuysen, who was born at Dokkum in 1624, and died in Amsterdam in 1672, was an animal painter, whose style was influenced by Paulus Potter....
(1624-1674), a follower or imitator of Paul Potter, is similarly credited. Houbraken was surprised he let his son learn painting, since his biography seemed to be a treatise against the pursuit of arts.