Willem van der Vliet

1584 – 1642

Dutch painter. He started as a history painter, and only later took up portraiture. He may have trained with Michiel van Miereveld about 1605. His Caravaggesque genre scenes dating from the mid-1620s shows influence by Utrecht Carravaggists such as Van Honthorst and Peter Wtewael (1596-1660) and by the Leiden painter Jan Lievens. Later on in his career he emphasised more classicist tendencies, subduing theatrics and action in favour of calm, timeless and stately compositions. He joined the Delft painters' guild in 1615, in 1633 served as headman, together with Jacob Vosmaer. At the time his nephew and pupil, Hendrick van der Vliet, was a new member of the guild. He married twice, in 1618 and 1636, the second time as a widow. Neither marriage is known to produce children. Known paintings by the artist, which includes portraits, genre scenes and allegories, date between 1624 and 1640.

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