Gerrit Dou (Dutch - Astronomer by Candlelight - Google Art Project

Gerrit Dou (1613–1675) was a Dutch Baroque painter, leading artist of the school of Leiden, especially known for his domestic genre paintings and portraits. Dou was first trained by his father, a glazier and glass engraver. From 1628 to 1631 he studied with Rembrandt, adopting the master’s choice of subject matter and his use of impasto, careful draftsmanship, and dramatic treatment of light and shadow—e.g., Rembrandt’s Mother (c. 1630). After Rembrandt left Leiden in 1631, his influence on Dou gradually weakened. Dou continued to paint on wood on a small scale, often enclosing his works in specially made cases, which he decorated.