Cornelis van Haarlem

Cornelis Cornelisz van Haarlem’s career first took shape in his home city: after his parents fled during the Spanish siege, he was entrusted to the painter Pieter Pietersz, who raised him and taught him his art. In 1583, he received his first major commission in Haarlem: a group portrait of the members of a civic militia, known as The Banquet of the Haarlem Civic Guard. The circulation in 1588 of five of his works as prints by Hendrik Goltzius helped make his work known. He was later appointed city painter. His involvement in local life also included serving as regent of the hospice for the elderly from 1613 to 1619, and taking part in the reorganisation of the Guild of Saint Luke and the reform of its medieval statutes in 1630.

Often signed with the monogram CH, his works are described as reflecting a naturalistic approach, informed by drawing from life and the study of ancient sculpture. His repertoire includes biblical and mythological subjects, portraits and still lifes. Works held in public collections include The Fall of the Titans, dated 1588 and now at the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, as well as two works titled The Massacre of the Innocents: one from 1590 at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, the other from 1591 at the Frans Hals Museum in Haarlem. The Fall of Man, a 1592 oil painting on canvas measuring 273 × 220 cm, is also held at the Rijksmuseum. Bathsheba at Her Bath, dated 1594, also belongs to the Rijksmuseum’s collection. The Banquet of the Officers of the Company of Saint George, painted in 1599, is held at the Frans Hals Museum. Among the later works, Venus and Adonis, dated 1614, is at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Caen, while Ceres, Bacchus, Venus and Cupid, a 1624 oil painting on copper, is held at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille.

Works recorded at auction

Schuler · Lot 1000

Maria

Oil on wood

Original catalogue wording

Maria
Öl auf Holz

Catalogue period : 2025-09-12

Published result : 16000 CHF

Fees not specified in the available data

Estimate : CHF 3000–5000

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Schuler · Lot 3104

Maria

Oil on wood

Original catalogue wording

Maria
Öl auf Holz

Catalogue period : 2025-06-18

Catalogue reference — sale not confirmed

Estimate : CHF 6000–9000

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Lempertz · Lot 1365

Göttermahl

Rötelkreide

Auction date : 2016-05-21

Published result : 1488 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 1000

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Lempertz · Lot 1447

Heilige Familie bei der Rast

Oil on wood

Original catalogue wording

Heilige Familie bei der Rast
Öl auf Holz

Auction date : 2015-11-14

Published result : 7440 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 7000

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References excluded from statistics: attributions and special lots

These references are shown separately because of their attribution or lot composition. Each record states the reason.

Lempertz · Lot 1528

Portrait of a Woman in Antique Style; Portrait of a Man with a Laurel Wreath

Oil on wood

Original catalogue wording

Bildnis einer Frau à l´antique Bildnis eines Mannes mit Lorbeerkranz
Öl auf Holz
Pendants, deux tableaux en un lot

Auction date : 2021-11-20

Pendant paintings: two paintings in one lot

Published result : 15000 EUR

Including buyer’s premium

Estimate : 8000

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Dobiaschofsky · Lot 426

Attribué à CORNELIS CORNELISZ. VAN HAARLEM — Porträt eines jungen Herrn.

Oil on hardboard

Original catalogue wording

Attribué à CORNELIS CORNELISZ. VAN HAARLEM — Porträt eines jungen Herrn.
Öl auf Htf
zugeschrieben

Date to be documented

Attributed

Published result : 2200 CHF

Fees not specified in the available data

Estimate : CHF 3000

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