Bartholomeus van Bassen

Bartholomeus van Bassen painted imaginary church interiors and grand Renaissance halls, with long rows of columns, checkered floors and deep perspectives. His pictures are careful exercises in architecture and space, often with small figures added by other painters.

He was a member of the painters’ guild in Delft and later in The Hague, where he became city architect in 1638. He designed buildings, including the Nieuwe Kerk in The Hague. His interiors were an early step in Dutch church painting, and his pupil Gerard Houckgeest went on to paint real church interiors in Delft.

His Interior of a Gothic Cathedral shows his skill with perspective. Look at the lines of the floor tiles and vaults, which lead the eye deep into the building.