Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 - 18 February 1683)
was a highly esteemed and prolific Dutch painter of pastoral
landscapes, populated with mythological or biblical figures, but
also of a number allegories and genre pieces.
Born in Haarlem, he received instruction from his father Pieter
Claesz, and from the painters Jan van Goyen, Jan Wils and Claes
Cornelisz. Moeyaert. (It is not known why he called himself Berchem
or Berighem, and other variants). For some time it was supposed
Berchem traveled to Italy with a fellow painter Jan Baptist Weenix,
whom he called his cousin. In 1645 he became a member of the Dutch
reformed church and married the year after. Being a widower he
married the daughter of Jan Wils. Around 1650 he did travel to
Westphalia with Jacob van Ruisdael. May be Berchem went to Italy
after this trip and before he moved to Amsterdam. Around 1660 he
worked for the engraver Jan de Visscher designing an atlas. In 1670
he moved back to Haarlem, but Berchem died in Amsterdam in 1683.
His paintings, of which he produced an immense number, (Hofstede
de Groot claimed around 850, although many are misattributed), were
in great demand, as were his 80 etchings and 500 drawings. His
landscapes, painted in the Italian style of idealized rural scenes,
with hills, mountains, cliffs and trees in a golden dawn are sought
after. Berchem also painted inspired and attractive human and animal
figures in works of other artists, like Allaert van Everdingen, Jan
Hackaert, Gerrit Dou, Meindert Hobbema and Willem Schellinks. The
French Rococo painter Jean-Baptiste Pillement was influenced by his
works.
