Foreword
It is with a measure of pride that we mark the completion of this overview of the oeuvre of the artist Samuel van Hoogstraten (1627-1678). This digital publication was generated in the context of the monographic exhibition The Illusionist. Samuel van Hoogstraten, on view at the Rembrandt House Museum from 1 February to 4 May 2025, and the preceding exhibition Rembrandt – Hoogstraten. Colour and Illusion, presented at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna from 8 October 2024 – 12 January 2025.
This RKD Study is a collaborative project between the RKD and the Rembrandt House, arising from a mission shared by both institutions: to conduct original art-historical research and share it with a wide audience. The Study represents the first critical presentation of the complete oeuvre of paintings, drawings, and prints by Samuel van Hoogstraten. By choosing a digital platform, the content can be accessed globally. New discoveries—such as resurfaced or newly attributed works, as well as updated information and insights—can be easily incorporated, allowing this catalogue raisonné to evolve into a dynamic resource.
This digital monograph begins with an essay on Van Hoogstraten’s life, followed by essays addressing the various categories of his art: drawings, paintings, and prints—each accompanied by a historiographic review of the relevant scholarly literature to date. The works themselves are presented as RKDimages records that function as catalogue entries, albeit with notes rather than formal texts. With the exception of a number of works already included in the RKD database, nearly all records were added by the RKD staff, in particular Sabine van Beek. A substantial undertaking in its own right, involving the systematic research, verification, and enrichment of all available information, including provenance. The compilation of a reference list was a demanding and time-consuming task, but essential to future research on the artist. Rembrandt House Museum curators David de Witt and Leonore van Sloten were responsible, with the help of a large group of specialist scholars, for a critical review and revision of the entries.
The result is a comprehensive catalogue that reflects current scholarly viewpoints and insights regarding the oeuvre of Samuel van Hoogstraten, while also exploring how this oeuvre relates to contemporaries in his artistic milieu such as his teachers Dirck van Hoogstraten and Rembrandt. We are extremely grateful to all those involved, both within and outside our institutions, for their unwavering dedication to seeing this publication realized. Our great thanks also goes to Bader Philanthropies, whose crucial and generous financial support made this RKD Study possible.
We invite the visitor and reader to immerse themselves in the fascinating and inspiring oeuvre of Samuel van Hoogstraten.
Astrid Verheusen, Acting General Manager and Director, RKD
Milou Halbesma, General Director, Rembrandt House Museum
17 April 2025