POTTER, PAULUS (1625-54). The principal animal painter and etcher of the old Dutch school. He was born at Enkhuizen, where lie was baptized on November 20, 1625. In 1631 his father. Pieter Simonz Potter. a mediocre painter, became a citizen of Amsterdam, and from him Paulus derived his artistic training. He may also have been influenced by his precursor, Aelbert ]hoop; but he worked chiefly after na ture, as is very evident from his studies, of which four volumes are preserved in the Berlin Museum —the only surviving example of such studies by a Dutch painter of the first rank. In 1646 he be came a member of the Painters' Guild of Delft, and in 1649 he settled at The Hague, where he married the daughter of an influential architect. He was already a famous painter, rejoicing in the patronage of Maurice of Nassau, of Princess Amalie, wife of the Stadtholder, and others of the nobility. In 1653, at the solicitation of Burgo master Tulp, he removed to Amsterdam, where he died January 17, 1654.
Notwithstanding his short life, he produced a large number of pictures-106 according to Westrheene. He rendered the character of ani mals with great power and truth; his drawing was correct, imparting an almost plastic effect, and his color was delicate. Although he painted
with great care and attention to detail, he did not lose the ensemble. His backgrounds—the flat Dutch landscape, sometimes with a few trees— are true in color and perspective. His best known picture is the life-size "Bull" (Hague Museum), of whieb the chief figure is a wonderful piece of realistic animal characterization ; but neither this nor his "Bear Hunt" (Amsterdam, Ryksmuseum) equals his smaller pieces. The Hermitage at Saint Petersburg possesses 11, including the fa mous "Cow," refused by the Stadtholder's wife, and the "Judgment of the Animals Over the Hunter;" others are in the museums of The Hague, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin. Dresden, and especially in English private collections, where the largest number are to be found. Potter was also an etcher of note, simple and direct in his treatment. He left no school, and of his supposed pupils Aelbert Klomp was a precursor, and the two Camphuysens were inde pendent contemporaries. Consult: Van West rheene, Paulus Potter, sa vie et ses (rurres (Hague, 1867) ; Grattel Duplessis, Eaus-fortes de Paul Potter (Paris, 1876).