WOUWERMAN, PHILIP (1619-1668), Dutch painter of battle and hunting scenes, was born at Haarlem, where he was baptised on May 24, 1619. He learned the elements of his art from his father, Paul Joosten Wouwerman, a painter from Alk maar. He then became a pupil of Frans Hals and probably of J. Wynants and of Pieter Verbeek, a painter of horses. He be came a member of the guild of painters at Haarlem in 1642, and there he died on May 19, 1668. About Boo pictures were enu merated in John Smith's Catalogue raisonne (1840) as the work of Philip Wouwerman, and in C. Hofstede de Groot's enlarged Catalogue, vol. ii. (1909), the number exceeds 1,20o; but prob ably many of these are the productions of his brothers Pieter (1623-1682) and Jan (1629-1666), and of his many other imita tors. His authentic works are distinguished by great spirit and are infinitely varied, though dealing recurrently with cavalry battle-pieces, military encampments, cavalcades, and hunting or hawking parties. He is equally excellent in his vivacious treat
ment of figures, in his skilful animal painting, and in his ad mirable and appropriate landscape backgrounds. Horses were his favourite study, and a white horse is generally introduced. Three different styles have been observed as characteristic of the various periods of his art. His earlier works are marked by the prevalence of a foxy-brown colouring, and by a tendency to angularity in draughtsmanship; the productions of his middle period have greater purity and brilliancy ; and his latest and greatest pictures possess more of force and breadth, and are full of a delicate silvery-grey tone.
See H. de Groot, Catalogue of Dutch Painters (19o9).