Laurens J. Bol
Encyclopedia
Laurens Johannes Bol was an art historian specialized in 17th century Dutch Golden Age
painters.
. He later moved to Middelburg
in 1920, where he started researching artists in the local archives. He became an expert on Dutch masters from Middelburg and is creditted with the "discovery" of Adriaen Coorte
. Thanks to his work in Middelburg, valuable material was rescued for later generations. The Middelburg archives went up in flames during WWII. The research that Bol did on Coorte, Ambrosius Bosschaert
, Balthasar van der Ast
and Jacob van Geel (ca. 1585-1638), saved them from obscurity.
He became a regular visitor of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie
, and was particularly interested in less popular Dutch masters. He wrote his first article in Oud Holland in 1949. In his thirty years as a resident of Middelburg, he wrote regularly for the NRC
and Openbaar Kunstbezit. He published books on lesser known artists.
Dutch Golden Age
The Golden Age was a period in Dutch history, roughly spanning the 17th century, in which Dutch trade, science, military and art were among the most acclaimed in the world. The first half is characterised by the Eighty Years' War till 1648...
painters.
Biography
He was a teacher in Goeree-OverflakkeeGoeree-Overflakkee
Goeree-Overflakkee is the southernmost delta island of the province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is separated from Voorne-Putten and Hoeksche Waard by the Haringvliet, from the mainland of North Brabant by the Volkerak, and from Schouwen-Duiveland by Lake Grevelingen.From west to east, it...
. He later moved to Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
in 1920, where he started researching artists in the local archives. He became an expert on Dutch masters from Middelburg and is creditted with the "discovery" of Adriaen Coorte
Adriaen Coorte
Adriaen Coorte was a Dutch Golden Age painter of still lifes, who signed works between 1683 and 1707. He painted small and unpretentious still lifes in a style more typical of the first half of the century, and was "one of the last practitioners of this intimate category".-Biography:Very little is...
. Thanks to his work in Middelburg, valuable material was rescued for later generations. The Middelburg archives went up in flames during WWII. The research that Bol did on Coorte, Ambrosius Bosschaert
Ambrosius Bosschaert
Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder was a still life painter of the Dutch Golden Age.-Biography:He was born in Antwerp, where he started his career, but he spent most of it in Middelburg , where he moved with his family because of the threat of religious persecution...
, Balthasar van der Ast
Balthasar van der Ast
Balthasar van der Ast was a Dutch Golden Age painter who specialized in still lifes of flowers and fruit, as well as painting a number of remarkable shell still lifes; he is considered to be a pioneer in the genre of shell painting. His still lifes often contain insects and lizards...
and Jacob van Geel (ca. 1585-1638), saved them from obscurity.
He became a regular visitor of the Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie
Rijksbureau voor Kunsthistorische Documentatie
The Netherlands Institute for Art History is located in The Hague and is home to the largest art history center in the world. The center specializes in documentation, archives, and books on Western art from the late middle ages until modern times...
, and was particularly interested in less popular Dutch masters. He wrote his first article in Oud Holland in 1949. In his thirty years as a resident of Middelburg, he wrote regularly for the NRC
NRC
NRC may refer to:Research centres and other establishments* National Research Centre, Egypt* National Research Council * Nokia Research Center* United States National Research CouncilOther educational* National Resource Center, U.S...
and Openbaar Kunstbezit. He published books on lesser known artists.