Godfried Schalcken
1643 - 1706
Godfried Cornelisz. Schalcken was born in Made, near Dordrecht. He was taught by Hoogstraten and Dou. Starting as a genre painter, he followed Dou's style of 'fine' (highly finished) painting.
From 1675 he painted more elegant allegorical subjects and scenes based on ancient literature. He is known for his scenes by candlelight. Towards the end of his life he worked in The Hague and London. He was also in Düsseldorf as court painter to the Elector Palatine.
Text © The National Gallery, London, 2025
