Dirck van Delen

Dirck van Delen painted imaginary architecture: grand palace courtyards, colonnades, marble loggias and church interiors, laid out in careful perspective and populated with small, elegantly dressed figures. His pictures are ordered, bright and slightly unreal, like a stage set.

He was born in Heusden around 1605. His early work follows the architectural fantasies of Hans Vredeman de Vries, and after 1630 his palaces became richer and brighter. Other painters often added the figures, among them Dirck Hals and Anthonie Palamedesz. He lived in Arnemuiden in Zeeland, where he served as burgomaster for many years, and died in Middelburg in 1671.

An Interior with Ladies and Gentlemen Dining and Palace Courtyard with Figures show his two sides, the interior and the open courtyard. Look at the checkerboard floors and the deep perspective lines.