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‘The Lute Player’ by Dutch painter Dirck Van Baburen (1622).

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Dirck Van Baburen

Dirck Van Baburen was a Dutch painter who lived in the early 17^th century (1595- 21 February 1624). He is credited for being a key figure in the Caravaggist-style movement.

The style is derived from  ‘Michelangelo da Caravaggio’, who was an Italian painter based in Rome. He employed the dramatic contrast of light and darkness in his paintings. Other artists known for using this technique include Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Goya.

Baburen introduced this technique in Utrecht. Most of his active years of painting were spent in Rome, although his childhood was mainly spent in Utrecht, Netherlands.

Most of the works in Rome were religious subjects, including altarpieces. He also painted genre scenes, and one of his most popular works is ‘the Procuress’, a painting of a man offering a coin to a prostitute.

Although his career was short, Baburen is reckoned as one of the notable Dutch painters of the 17^th century. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Dirck van Baburen.

1. Baburen was a pupil of Paulus Moreelse

Paul Moreelse-self-potrait. Sourced from

Paul Moreelse was a Dutch painter (1571- 6 March 1638). He was born in Utrecht and was a well-known portrait painter who received numerous commissions across the Dutch Republic.

He was one of the founders of a painter’s guild ‘St. Lucas-gilde’ alongside Abraham Bloemaert. Moreelse taught at a school in Utrecht, and Baburen was one of his pupils. The earliest reference of Baburen is in the 1611 records of the Utrecht Guild of St.Luke as a pupil of Moreelse.

2. His style was greatly influenced by Caravaggio

A portrait of the Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. Photo by Ottavio Leoni.

Caravaggio (Michelangelo da Caravaggio) was a famous Italian painter during the early 17^th century (1571-1610). His works are characterized by the use of strong contrast of light and darkness, which bore influence on Baroque painting.

He transfixed his subjects in bright shafts of light and darkening shadows. This technique is known as ‘tenebrism’, or dramatic illumination where violent contrasts of light and dark are used. It achieves a dramatic effect. Caravaggio is credited with its invention. Baburen’s works depict strong references to the style.

3. He spent most of his art years in Rome

In the estimated period between 1612 and 1615, Baburen traveled to Rome, Italy. He had spent most of his childhood in Utrecht, Netherlands. In Rome, he came into close collaboration with Italian painter Bartolomeo Manfredi.

Manfredi was a follower of Caravaggio.  He also collaborated with his fellow Dutch painter David de Haen, who was based in Rome at the time. He was also a follower of Caravaggio.

He received commissions for several altarpieces and religious subjects in Rome. He returned to Utrecht in late 1620 where he spent his remaining years until he died in 1624.

4. He mostly painted religious subjects in Rome

Dirck van Baburen 1622: Crowning of Jesus Christ with thorns-Henk Monster.

Although Baburen painted a variety of themes including mythological and genre painting, most of his works, while he was in Rome, were religious subjects.

These include a ‘Capture of Christ’ for Scipione Borghese, and Christ Washing the Feet of the Apostles’ for Vincenzo Giustaniani. He also painted the ‘Crowning with Thorns’ in 1623.  It is part of the collection at Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht.

5. Baburen belonged to the 17^th-century group of artists; ‘The Bentvueghels’

The Bentvueghels translate to ‘Birds of a Feather. These were a group of Dutch-speaking artists who were active in Rome in the 17^th century.

  They are referred to as the Schildersbent (painters’ clique). The members included painters, sculptors, poets, and etchers. The group was known for its drunken initiation rituals, where they made libations to Bacchus, the Greek god of winemaking, religious ecstasy, and festivity.

Upon initiation, the members were given aliases of classical gods and heroes, or witty nicknames. Besides Baburen, other members included Paulus Bor, Simon Arde, and Cornelius Schut. Baburen’s nickname was ‘Biervlieg’ to mean ‘beer fly’ or one who drinks a lot.

6. He painted the Entombment for the Chapel of Pieta in San Pietro

The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio.

While in Rome, Baburen made acquaintance with various painters such as Bartolomeo Manfredi and David de Haen. He also met art collectors and patrons Vincenzo Giustiniani and cardinal Scipione Borghese.

It is alleged that it was possibly under the influence of Vincenzo and Borghese that he received the commission to paint the altarpiece of the Entombment for the chapel of the Pieta in San Pietro in Montorio around 1617. 

The latter is a church in Rome, Italy. It is built on the supposed site of St. Peter’s crucifixion. The Entombment is indebted to Caravaggio’s 1604 example; the entombment of Christ is one of his most admired pieces.

Baburen worked with Dutch painter David de Haen in the chapel on other paintings, including ‘The Mocking of Christ.’

7. Baburen began painting genre scenes in late 1620

‘Young man singing’ by Dirck Van Baburen, 1622.

Genre art is a term used for artistic representations of scenes from everyday life. These may include domestic households, street scenes, markets, or even parties. The paintings may be real or imagined by the artist.

Baburen was among the first artists to make use of genre subjects such as musicians. One of his genre paintings is ‘The Lute Player, which he painted in 1622.

He greatly utilizes Caravaggio’s style of lighting, creating a strong contrast between the light and dark shafts in the painting. It is housed in the Centraal Museum in Utrecht.

8. He was one of the main founders of the Utrecht Caravaggisti

The Utrecht Caravaggisti was a movement introduced into Utrecht painting around 1620. Its key figures include Baburen, Hendrick ter Brugghen, and Gerrit van Honthorst.

These had been influenced by the works of Italian painter Caravaggio during their stay in Rome. They introduced the Caravaggisti style of painting upon their return from Rome. The style is characterized by tenebrism; the dramatic illumination technique which employs strong contrast of light and dark.

The Utrecht Caravaggisti mostly painted history and genre scenes.

9. The ‘Procuress’ is one of his best-known works

‘The Procuress’ by Dirck van Baburen.

The painting depicts a man offering a coin to a prostitute playing the lute, while an old woman, the lady’s procuress inspects the coin. It was owned by painter Johannes Vermeer’s mother-in-law.

It appears in two of Vermeer’s works; The Concert and ‘Woman Seated at a Virginal’. The Procuress is now housed in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

10. Baburen was buried in the medieval parish church of Buurkerk

He was buried on 28 February 1924 in Buurkek, a medieval church in Utrecht. It was also where Baburen’s teacher, Paul Moreelse, was laid to rest.

The church now houses the Museum Speelklok. The museum specializes in musical instruments, including music boxes, pianolas (a self-playing piano), and barrel organs.