Matthias Stom

The Crown of Thorns by Matthias Stom

Matthias Stom or Matthias Stomer (c. 1600–after 1652) was a Dutch golden age painter, considered being one of the masters of the Utrecht Caravaggism. Besides Stom and Stomer he has been referred to as Matthias Stohom / Stomma, Matheo Schem and Matteo Tomar. Stom spent most of his artistic life in Italy, and 200 of his works have been preserved.

Life

It is conjectured that Stom was born at Amersfoort or in the Utrecht area, but the details of his life are at times rather vague. An early mention of Stom was around 1630 due to his living in the same location as Paulus Bor had lived a few years earlier. He was a pupil of Gerard van Honthorst in Rome after 1615. He remained in Rome until 1632, after which he traveled to Naples, where he stayed until 1640. He then moved to Palermo, and delivered paintings for churches in Caccamo and Monreale. He sold three paintings to Antonio Ruffo, duke of Messina.^[1] It is not known where he died, perhaps in Sicily, but also Northern Italy is a possibility, because in 1652 he painted an altar piece for the church in Chiuduno.^[2]

His son or grandson, Mattia (il giovane) Stomer (1649–1702), also was a painter.^[3]

Style

Stom was influenced by the Baroque painter Caravaggio and his followers, utilizing their mastery of chiaroscuro. His work typically features religious scenes.^[4] He is appreciated for his psychology and claylike treatment of face.^[5] He did not initiate the baroque movement like his counterpart Caravaggio, but helped bring it to new heights and splendor.^[6]

Gallery

• 

  Matthias Stomer: The Adoration of the Shepherds, ca. 1635-40, Oil on canvas, 44 5/8 x 63 5/8 in. (113.5 x 161.5 cm.), North Carolina Museum of Art

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  ' Gaius Mucius Scaevola in the Presence of Lars Porsena, oil on canvas painting by Matthias Stom, early 1640s, Art Gallery of New South Wales

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  Christ before Caiaphas, depiction of the Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus

References

1. ^ "Dutch Masters". http://www.essentialvermeer.com/dutch-painters/stom.html. Retrieved 2010-06-08. 
2. ^ Liedtke, W. (2007). Dutch paintings in the Metropolitan Museum. p. 848. 
3. ^ "Matthias Stom at the Netherlands Institute for Art History". http://www.rkd.nl/rkddb/dispatcher.aspx?action=search&database=ChoiceArtists&search=priref=75464. Retrieved 2010-06-08. 
4. ^ "Stomer at University of North Carolina Artists Profile". http://www.unc.edu/~zsvictor/artist.html. Retrieved 2008-01-28. 
5. ^ "Encyclopedia.com". http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O2-StomMatthias.html. Retrieved 2010-06-08. 
6. ^ "Stomer at University of North Carolina Artists Profile". http://www.unc.edu/~zsvictor/artist.html. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 

External links

• Works at WGA

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Name	Stom, Matthias
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