Willem Cornelisz. Duyster was born and worked in Amsterdam. Because of the loss of the city’s guild records, his early career remains mysterious. He may have trained with Pieter Codde, and it is certain that they knew each other, as in 1625 Codde hit Duyster in the face with a pitcher during a party. Duyster’s oeuvre shows the influence of painters like Dirck Hals, Anthonie Palamedesz., Jacob van Velsen and Thomas de Keyser. He was chiefly a genre painter, specialising in merry companies and military scenes.
Willem Duyster
1599 - 1635
Paintings by Willem Duyster
During the Dutch Revolt of 1568–1648, when the northern Netherlands fought against their Spanish overlords, military scenes became increasingly popular. Willem Duyster was one of the artists who specialised in guardroom scenes showing soldiers relaxing off duty. Most such pictures were peaceful b...
Not on display
Two men concentrate on a game of tric-trac, a form of backgammon, while a woman chalks the score on the side of the board. Meanwhile one man sits smoking, lost in his thoughts, while another lights a pipe from a bowl of embers. None of them is speaking and nor do they look at one another; all the...
Not on display