Hendrick Aerts


Hendrick Aerts was a Flemish painter and draftsman who painted mainly architectural paintings and was active in Gdańsk and Prague.

Life

Little is known about the origins, formation and life of Hendrick Aerts. It was originally assumed that he was from Lille, which at the presumed time of his birth was part of the Southern Netherlands. Recent research, in particular that conducted by Bernard M. Vermet, has questioned the previous assumptions about the life of the artist and Aerts is now assumed to be a native of Mechelen.
Vermet has further suggested that the clear influence of the work of the Flemish architecture painter Paul Vredeman de Vries is likely due to Aerts having been a pupil of Paul Vredeman de Vries. The training probably took place when both artists resided in Gdańsk in the period from 1592 to 1595. Aerts would then have accompanied Vredeman de Vries to Prague from 1596 to 1599, where he worked as his assistant in the decoration of the ceilings and the reception rooms of Emperor Rudolf II's castle.
From 1599 Aerts could have returned to Gdańsk, where he probably died in 1603.

Work

Only a few paintings of Hendrick Aerts have been preserved. Research attributes less than ten paintings to him. The earliest reliable work is dated 1600 and the last known work 1602.
Like his presumed master Paul Vredeman de Vries, he exclusively painted fantastic architectural works of imaginary and luxurious palaces and church interiors, in which the human figures often represent allegories.

Known works