Hendrick ter Brugghen (Dutch, 1588-1629)

Born in 1588 in The Hague, his father was a secretary to William the Silent, Prince of Orange, before the family moved to Utrecht.¹

He traveled to Italy around 1607, staying in Rome, Naples, and Milan, where he directly absorbed Caravaggio's revolutionary art.¹

As a key member of the Utrecht Caravaggisti, he brought the latest Italian styles to the Netherlands, adding his own unique interpretation.¹

The master Peter Paul Rubens reportedly praised him as the only great painter in Utrecht during his visit to the city.¹

He died in 1629 at the age of 42, possibly of the plague; his reputation was later rehabilitated by his son, Richard.¹