Pieter van Bronckhorst

Pieter Anthonisz van Bronckhorst or Bronkhorst (16 May 1588 – 21 June 1661), was a Dutch painter active in Delft. He was mainly an architectural painter known for his church interiors and fantasy palaces with small figures representing biblical stories. It is possible he also painted still lifes and was a staffage painter for other painters. Life Details on his life are scarce. He was born on 16 May 1588 in Delft as the son of Anthonis Pieters (van Bronckhorst), a tailor, and Machteld Dirxdr. van Coolwijk. His master(s) are not known but it is likely that he studied painting in Delft. He visited France in his youth to study perspective painting. He had returned by 1609. He was one of the co-founders of the Guild of Saint Luke of Delft in 1613 and was its headman in 1655-1656. On 5 October 1614 he married in Delft Jacobmina Nicolaesdr. de Grebber (died 1666), daughter of the prominent goldsmith Nicolaes Adriaensz. de Grebber. Around 1652 fellow Delft painter Anthonie Palamedesz. painted the couple's double portraits. The couple had three children: Machtelijna Pieters (died 1682), Claes Pietersz. (1617-1656) and Maria (1631-1708). His son Claes Pietersz. also became a painter.