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1. The Teacher: Reynier de Lairesse (c. 1618–1670)
Reynier de Lairesse, Gerard's father, was a decorative painter and engraver in Liège (now Belgium). Gerard received his fundamental artistic training directly from his father, who provided a strong foundation in drawing, composition, and engraving techniques.
Early Influence: Lairesse's initial training was within a family tradition.
The Move to Classicism: While Lairesse received his initial foundation from his father, his fully developed style, the smooth, idealistic, and intellectual approach, was formed later in Amsterdam, where he was heavily influenced by the leading classicists of the time, such as Jacob van Loo.
The Master: Gerard de Lairesse (1641–1711)
Gerard de Lairesse was one of the most influential Dutch Golden Age painters and theorists of the late 17th century. Known as the Dutch Poussin (after the great French classicist Nicolas Poussin), he advocated for a rational, intellectual, and highly idealized form of art, rejecting the realism and detail favored by many of his Dutch contemporaries.
Style and Subject Matter: Lairesse specialized in history paintings, allegories, and mythological scenes, which he executed with supreme elegance and polish. His figures are often slender, graceful, and posed like statues in classical settings, bathed in a cool, even light. He used a notably cooler, lighter palette than the earlier Golden Age masters, emphasizing clarity over dramatic effect.
Theorist and Critic: Lairesse was not just a painter but a highly respected art theorist. He wrote Het Groot Schilderboek (The Great Book of Painting) in 1707, which became the most important Dutch treatise on painting for over a century. In it, he strongly promoted the ideals of Classicism: using ancient Greek and Roman art as models, prioritizing noble subjects, and adhering to strict rules of composition and decorum.
The Illness: Lairesse suffered from congenital syphilis, which severely disfigured his face (he was nicknamed the Dutch Cyclops) and eventually led to blindness in the 1690s. Despite losing his sight, he continued to teach and compose his influential book, dictating his theories on art.
The Pupil: Jan van Mieris (1660–1690)
Jan van Mieris was a documented and talented pupil of Gerard de Lairesse. He was the son of the famous Leiden fijnschilder (fine painter) Frans van Mieris the Elder.
Continuing the Tradition: Jan van Mieris traveled to Amsterdam to study with Lairesse, where he focused on the master's style of history and mythological painting. He later adapted Lairesse’s smooth technique and fine finish to his own specialty of small-scale genre and portrait scenes, showing the strong influence of Lairesse’s high classicism combined with his family’s tradition of refined painting.
Legacy of the Studio: Van Mieris is a perfect example of how Lairesse's studio successfully combined academic instruction with the traditions of the Dutch Golden Age.