Samuel van Hoogstraten - Tobias's Farewell to his Parents - WGA11727

Samuel van Hoogstraten was a Dutch painter, art theorist and writer. He was born in 1627 in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. He studied with his father, who was also a painter, and later trained with Rembrandt in Amsterdam. Van Hoogstraten is known for his genre paintings, still lifes and portraits. His works often feature complex compositions and symbolic elements. He was also interested in perspective and optical illusions and wrote a book on the subject entitled 'Inleyding tot de hooge schoole der schilderkonst' (Introduction to the High School of Painting). In addition to his artistic activities, van Hoogstraten was also involved in politics and was a member of the city council of Dordrecht. He died in 1678 at the age of 51.