Hendrick van Cleve III
Flemish, 1525 c.-1589
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Hendrick van Cleve or Hendrik van Cleve III was a Flemish painter, draughtsman and designer of prints. He is known for topographical views, including views of Rome and the Vatican, as well as imaginary landscapes. Traditionally, a large number of depictions of the construction of the Tower of Babel have been attributed to him but most of these are now attributed to anonymous Flemish painters, who are referred to as 'The Hendrik van Cleve III Group'.
Hendrick van Cleve III was born in Antwerp around 1525 as the son of Willem van Cleve the Elder, a painter. He was the elder brother of Marten and of Willem and of three sisters. He is called "the third" to differentiate him from Hendrik van Cleve I (registered as a master of the Guild of St. Luke 1489/90) and Hendrick II (Guild of St. Luke, 1534), about whom little else is known.
Hendrick and his brothers initially learned drawing under their father. Hendrick and Marten then continued their studies and learned painting under the prominent history painter Frans Floris. Hendrick and his two brothers registered in 1551 as free masters of the local Guild of Saint Luke. The youngest of his brothers, Willem, died before 1564 while Marten became a prominent genre painter.
It is certain that Hendrick travelled to Italy. Scholars disagree about the timing of his stay in Italy. Some place it before 1551, the year in which he became a master of the Guild, while others place it between 1551 and 1555, the date on which he got married. In Italy he made many drawings of mountain views, buildings and cityscapes, which he later used in his works. Based on his known drawings of Italian cities, he likely spent time in Rome, Florence and Naples.
Hendrick is only mentioned again in the records of the Antwerp Guild in 1557 when a certain Cornelis Janssens is enrolled as his pupil. After that, there is no trace of him in the period between 1557 and 1582. It is only in 1585 that his name reappears in the Guild records. He did not leave Antwerp as some scholars have suggested, but remained in Antwerp as is evidenced by various real estate transactions in which he was involved. These transactions also demonstrate that the artist was affluent. Scholars do not yet understand why almost no works can be attributed to the artist for about 30 years until 1580s when he created a large number of signed and dated paintings and drawings.
As a good painter of landscapes, his master Frans Floris and his brother Marten often invited him to paint the landscapes in his compositions.
He married Paesschyn Suys in the Saint James Church in Antwerp on 2 July 1555. The couple had three sons named Gillis, Hans and Hendrick who all became painters.
The date of death of Hendrik van Cleve is not known. A deed dated 26 January 1590 relating to the sale by van Cleve of the home of his late brother Marten demonstrates he must have lived beyond that date. It is believed he did not live beyond 1595.
