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Dutch · 1622–1683 · Baroque
painting seven hundred Italian landscapes without ever visiting Italy, convincing enough to fool a generation
Read full biography →Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's works are held in 87 museums worldwide, including National Gallery of Art, Nationalmuseum, and Louvre.
🇦🇹 Austria
3 museums
- 10 works
Führermuseum
Linz, Austria
- 4 works
Kunsthistorisches Museum
Maria-Theresien-Platz, Austria
Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00 (Thu until 21:00); closed Mon (open Mon Jun–Aug)€21 adults, free under-19Museumsquartier (U2)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 1 works
Albertina
Palais Erzherzog Albrecht, Austria
🇧🇪 Belgium
2 museums
- 5 works
Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp
District of Antwerp, Belgium
Tue–Fri 10:00–17:00, Sat–Sun 10:00–18:00; closed Mon€22 adults, €2 under-26Antwerpen-Berchem (rail) / Museum (tram) (Tram 4, 8)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 3 works
Groeningemuseum
Bruges, Belgium
🇫🇷 France
5 museums
- 15 works
Louvre
Paris, France
Wed–Mon 09:00–18:00 (Fri until 21:45); closed Tue€22 adults, free under-18Palais-Royal – Musée du Louvre (1, 7)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 5 works
Museum of Fine Arts of Rennes
palais universitaire de Rennes, France
- 4 works
Musée Fabre
Montpellier, France
- 1 works
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen
Rouen, France
- 1 works
Musée d'art moderne (Saint-Étienne)
Saint-Étienne, France
🇩🇪 Germany
6 museums
- 14 works
Munich Central Collecting Point
Munich, Germany
- 6 works
Gemäldegalerie Berlin
Berlin, Germany
- 4 works
Johann Wilhelm von der Pfalz collection
Düsseldorf, Germany
- 3 works
Museum der bildenden Künste
Leipzig, Germany
- 2 works
Wallraf–Richartz Museum
Ungersbau, Germany
- 2 works
Hessen Kassel Heritage
Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, Germany
🇮🇪 Ireland
1 museum
- 5 works
National Gallery of Ireland
Dublin, Ireland
Also here
🇳🇱 Netherlands
5 museums
- 15 works
Rijksmuseum
Rijksmuseum, Netherlands
Daily 09:00–17:00€25 adults, free under-18Museumplein (Tram 2, 5, 12)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 9 works
Mauritshuis
Building Mauritshuis, Netherlands
- 4 works
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen - Robbrecht & Daem wing, Netherlands
Main building closed for renovation until 2029; Depot open Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00Depot €20 adultsEendrachtsplein (Tram 7, 8)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 3 works
Amsterdam Museum
Waag, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- 2 works
Centraal Museum
Utrecht, Netherlands
Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00; closed Mon€15 adultsUtrecht Centraal (Bus 1, 2 (no metro))Confirm on museum website before visiting.
🇵🇱 Poland
1 museum
- 5 works
National Museum in Warsaw
Aleje Jerozolimskie, Poland
Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00; closed Mon25 PLN adults, free on TuesdaysCentrum (M1)Confirm on museum website before visiting.
🇷🇺 Russia
1 museum
- 15 works
Hermitage Museum
Winter Palace, Russia
Tue, Thu, Sat–Sun 10:30–18:00; Wed, Fri 10:30–21:00; closed Mon500 RUB adults (Russian residents), 1000 RUB internationalAdmiralteyskaya (5 (Frunzensko-Primorskaya))Confirm on museum website before visiting.
🇸🇪 Sweden
1 museum
- 15 works
Nationalmuseum
Stockholm, Sweden
Tue 11:00–20:00; Wed–Sun 11:00–17:00; closed MonFree (permanent collection)Kungsträdgården (Blå (10, 11))Confirm on museum website before visiting.
🇨🇭 Switzerland
2 museums
- 3 works
Kunsthaus Zürich
Zurich, Switzerland
- 2 works
Kunstmuseum Basel
Basel, Switzerland
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
11 museums
- 9 works
National Trust
Swindon, United Kingdom
- 9 works
Royal Collection
London, United Kingdom
Thu–Sun 10:00–17:30 (seasonal; closed during State Rooms open weeks)£19 adults, £12 under-25Victoria (Victoria, Circle, District)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 8 works
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road, United Kingdom
- 7 works
Wallace Collection
London, United Kingdom
- 6 works
Glasgow Museums Resource Centre
Nitshill, United Kingdom
- 5 works
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Dulwich, United Kingdom
- 5 works
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square, United Kingdom
Daily 10:00–18:00 (Fri until 21:00)FreeCharing Cross (Bakerloo, Northern)Confirm on museum website before visiting. -
2 works
Dundee Art Galleries and Museums
Dundee, United Kingdom
- 1 works
Fitzwilliam Museum
Cambridge, United Kingdom
- 1 works
Manchester Art Gallery
Manchester, United Kingdom
-
1 works
Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
Blackburn, United Kingdom
🇺🇸 United States
12 museums
- 46 works
National Gallery of Art
Washington, D.C., United States
Mon–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 11:00–18:00FreeArchives – Navy Memorial (Green & Yellow)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 3 works
J. Paul Getty Museum
Los Angeles, United States
- 3 works
Vanderbilt Museum of Art
Nashville, United States
- 2 works
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Los Angeles, United States
- 2 works
Norton Simon Museum
Pasadena, United States
- 2 works
Yale University Art Gallery
Yale University Art Gallery Swartwout Building, United States
Tue–Sat 10:00–17:00, Sun 13:00–17:00; closed MonFreeNew Haven Union Station (Metro-North New Haven Line)Confirm on museum website before visiting. - 1 works
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, United States
- 1 works
Toledo Museum of Art
Toledo, United States
- 1 works
Detroit Institute of Arts
Midtown Detroit, United States
-
1 works
Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, United States
- 1 works
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Old Patent Office Building, United States
- 1 works
Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York City, United States
Sun–Tue, Thu 10:00–17:00; Fri–Sat 10:00–21:00; closed WedAdults $30, students $17 (pay-what-you-wish for NY residents)86 St (4, 5, 6)Confirm on museum website before visiting.
37 more museums hold works by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem with smaller collections, not listed here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I see Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's work?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's work can be viewed in numerous locations. In Europe, you can find his paintings in the Hermitage Museum (Leningrad), the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts (Moscow), and the Alte Pinakothek (Munich). Several galleries in London hold examples of his art, including the Dulwich College Picture Gallery, the National Gallery, and the Wallace Collection. Museums in Paris, such as the Louvre and the École des Beaux-Arts, also have pieces by Berchem. Other European cities with Berchem's work on display include Madrid (Prado), Nancy (Musée des Beaux-Arts), and Oxford (Ashmolean Museum). Outside of Europe, you can see Berchem's art at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne and at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Additionally, The National Gallery of Canada (Ottawa) possesses some of his pieces.What should I know about Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's prints?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620-1683) was a Dutch painter and etcher. He came from a family of artists; his father, Pieter Claesz, was a still-life painter. Berchem was active during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of great artistic output in the Netherlands. He is known for his Italianate paintings and prints, featuring pastoral scenes with shepherds, animals, and classical ruins. Berchem's prints often depict idyllic settings, reflecting a romanticised view of the Italian countryside. These works were popular among collectors in the 17th and 18th centuries, contributing to the demand for Italianate art in Northern Europe. His etchings display considerable skill in capturing light and atmosphere, often using a combination of etching and engraving techniques to achieve tonal variety. Berchem's prints provide insight into the artistic tastes and cultural exchanges of his time.Why are Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's works important today?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620-1683) was a Dutch Golden Age painter. He is remembered for his Italianate pastoral scenes. These works were popular during his lifetime and remained so for centuries afterward. Berchem's importance rests on several factors. First, he was a prolific and skilled artist. He produced a large body of paintings, drawings, and etchings. Second, his Italianate style was highly influential. Many artists imitated his approach to composition, light, and colour. This helped to spread the popularity of the Italianate style in the Netherlands. Third, Berchem was an influential teacher. He taught many students who went on to become successful artists themselves, including his son Nicolaes Berchem the Younger, Karel Dujardin, and Jan Weenix. His studio practice helped shape the next generation of Dutch painters. Finally, Berchem's works offer valuable insights into the artistic tastes and cultural values of the Dutch Golden Age. His paintings reflect the Dutch fascination with Italy and the countryside. They also reveal the period's interest in leisure, commerce, and social status.What techniques or materials did Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem use?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620-1683) was a Dutch Golden Age painter, draughtsman, and etcher. He employed different techniques across these media. As a painter, Berchem is known for his use of light and shadow to create atmospheric effects in his pastoral scenes. He often painted Italianate subjects, featuring warm colours and detailed depictions of animals and figures. His paintings were typically executed in oil on canvas. Berchem was a prolific printmaker, producing many etchings throughout his career. His etchings often mirrored the themes of his paintings, with pastoral scenes and animal studies being common. In terms of technique, Berchem was known to use multiple bitings in his etching plates to achieve a range of tonal values. This involved immersing the plate in acid multiple times, covering certain areas with a resist to protect them from further etching. He was also known for his skill in creating fine lines and details in his etchings, which contributed to the overall delicacy of his prints.Who did Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem influence?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, a Dutch Golden Age painter, influenced many artists with his Italianate style. He is known for his pastoral scenes, populated with shepherds, animals, and mythological figures. Among his pupils were Karel Dujardin, Adriaen van de Velde, and Pieter de Hooch. These artists adopted elements of Berchem's style, particularly his use of light and his approach to rendering bucolic settings. Dujardin, for example, also painted Italianate subjects, often featuring peasants and livestock. Van de Velde became known for his skill in painting animals, a skill he likely honed under Berchem's tutelage. De Hooch, while better known for his domestic interior scenes, also shows some influence from Berchem in his outdoor compositions. Beyond his direct students, Berchem's work had a broader impact on Dutch art. His Italianate style contributed to a fashion for southern-inspired subjects. This trend continued throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. His compositions and techniques were studied and emulated by numerous artists seeking to capture the idyllic qualities of the Italian countryside.Who influenced Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620-1683) came from a family of artists. His father, Pieter Claesz, was a still-life painter in Haarlem. According to some accounts, Berchem studied with his father; however, other sources suggest he studied with Jan van Goyen, Claes Cornelisz Moeyaert, Pieter de Grebber, and Jan Wils. Karel van Mander's *Schilder-Boeck* (1604) is an important source for information about early Dutch artists, and it may have shaped Berchem's artistic education. Berchem's style shows the influence of various Italianate Dutch painters. These artists, such as Jan Both and Bartholomeus Breenbergh, depicted Italianate pastoral settings, which became a popular genre. Berchem never travelled to Italy; however, he successfully captured an idealised vision of the Italian countryside in his paintings, drawings, and prints. His use of light and atmospheric effects, along with his subject matter of shepherds and grazing animals, demonstrates the impact of these earlier artists on his work.What is Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's most famous work?
It is difficult to identify one single work as Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's most famous. He produced a large number of paintings, drawings, and etchings during his career. His output includes many Italianate pastoral scenes. These often feature shepherds and shepherdesses with their animals in sunlit fields or near classical ruins. Berchem also painted several history paintings and allegorical works. Some recurring subjects in his paintings are: * The Rest on the Flight into Egypt * Apollo and the Muses on Mount Helion (Parnassus) * Coast View with Perseus and the Origin of Coral * Landscape with Ascanius Shooting the Stag of Sylvia * Landscape with Saint Philip Baptising the Eunuch Without more information, it is impossible to determine which of these, or other works by Berchem, is the most well-known today.What style or movement did Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem belong to?
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1620-1683) was a Dutch artist who worked during the Baroque era (c. 1600-1700). The Baroque style followed Mannerism and is thought to come from the Portuguese word "barocco", meaning a misshapen pearl. It is a term used to describe art that is full of emotion, dynamism, and drama, often with strong tonal contrasts. It was developed as a result of religious tensions in Europe and was meant to strengthen the image of Catholicism. However, it did not remain exclusively associated with religious art. Baroque artists aimed to interpret stories clearly and realistically. Their work is exuberant and intense, with solid, believable figures and human dramas. The style inherited movement and emotion from Mannerism, while it took solidity, perspective, and classical lines from the Renaissance. Two significant aspects of Baroque art are the use of contrasts between light and shadow and the close observation of textures and details. In Northern Europe, the Baroque style emphasised realism in daily life.
Sources
Where to See guide aggregates verified holdings of Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem's works across the following collections.
- [1] museum Liechtenstein Museum Used for: museum holdings.
- [2] museum Weston Park Used for: museum holdings.
- [3] museum Royal Pump Rooms Used for: museum holdings.
- [4] museum Bolton Museum Used for: museum holdings.
- [5] museum Royal Cornwall Museum Used for: museum holdings.
- [6] museum Musées Nationaux Récupération Used for: museum holdings.
- [7] academic The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem | Dutch Painter, Landscapes, Genre Scenes Used for: biography.
- [8] book Victoria Charles, Baroque Art Used for: biography, stylistic analysis.
- [9] museum Nicolaes Berchem (Getty Museum) Used for: biography.
- [10] museum Nicolaes Berchem - Rest - The Metropolitan Museum of Art Used for: museum holdings.
- [11] museum Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem | National Gallery of Art Used for: biography.
- [12] museum Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem - Rijksmuseum Used for: biography.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-05-30. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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