FLINCK, GOVERT (1615-166o), Dutch painter, born at Cleves in 1615, was sent to study art at Leuwarden, where he boarded in the house of Lambert Jacobszon. Here Flinck was joined by Jacob Backer. Amongst the neighbours of Jacobszon at Leuwarden were the sons and relations of Rombert Ulenburg, whose daughter Saske married Rembrandt in 1634. The pupils of Lambert probably gained some knowledge of Rembrandt by intercourse with the Ulenburgs. Certainly J. von Sandrart, who visited Holland in 1637, found Flinck acknowledged as one of Rembrandt's best pupils, and living habitually in the house of the dealer Hendrik Ulenburg at Amsterdam. For many years Flinck laboured on the lines of Rembrandt, following that master's style in all the works which he executed between 1636 and 1648 ; then he fell into peculiar mannerisms by imitating the swelling forms and grand action of Rubens's creations. Finally he sailed with un fortunate complacency into the Dead Sea of official and diplo matic painting. Flinck's relations with Cleves became in time very important. He was introduced to the court of the Great Elector, Frederick William of Brandenburg, who married in 1646 Louisa of Orange. He obtained the patronage of John Maurice of Orange, who was made stadtholder of Cleves in 1649. Flinck was enrolled in 1652 as a citizen of Amsterdam and married in 1656 an heiress, daughter of Ver Hoeven, a director of the Dutch East India company.
The earliest of Flinck's authentic pieces is a likeness of a lady, dated 1636, in the gallery of Brunswick. His first subject picture is the "Blessing of Jacob," in the Amsterdam museum (1638) . Both are thoroughly Rembrandtesque in effect. The four "Civic Guards" of 1642, and "The Twelve Musketeers" with their presi dent in an arm-chair (1648), in the townhall at Amsterdam, are fine specimens of composed portrait groups. But the best of Flinck's productions in this style is the "Peace of Munster" in the museum of Amsterdam. Flinck here painted his own likeness to the left in a doorway. The mannered period of Flinck is amply illustrated in the "Marcus Curius eating Turnips before the Samnite Envoys," and "Solomon receiving Wisdom," in the palace on the Dam at Amsterdam. In addition to the fore going may be noted the "Grey Beard" of 1639 at Dresden, the "Girl" of 1641 at the Louvre, a portrait group of a male and female (1646) at Rotterdam, a lady (16S 1) at Berlin. Of several pictures which were painted for the Great Elector, Frederick William of Brandenburg, none are preserved except the "Expulsion of Hagar" in the Berlin museum. Flinck died at Amsterdam on Feb. 22, 1660.