This landmark publication, produced for the first exhibition ever devoted to the artist, offers the most comprehensive modern introduction to his life, work, and artistic innovations.
Van Hoogstraten was a master of illusion. Long before modern discussions of immersive art and visual deception, he experimented with perspective, optical effects, and trompe l’oeil imagery that challenged viewers’ perception of reality. Noblemen appear to step out of paintings, figures emerge from windows, and everyday objects become sophisticated visual puzzles. His celebrated letter boards and illusionistic compositions earned him a reputation as one of the great innovators of the Dutch Golden Age.
Written by David de Witt and Leonore van Sloten in collaboration with the Rembrandt House Museum, this richly illustrated volume places Van Hoogstraten within the artistic and intellectual world of seventeenth century Europe. The catalog follows his journey from Rembrandt’s workshop in Amsterdam to his travels through Austria, Italy, and England, demonstrating how he developed a unique artistic identity while helping spread Dutch painting across the continent.
Particularly significant is the book’s contribution to current scholarship. The publication incorporates the latest research into Van Hoogstraten’s oeuvre and reflects ongoing efforts to create the first comprehensive modern overview of his paintings, drawings, and prints. While not presented as a formal catalogue raisonné, it serves as the most up-to-date reference on the artist currently available and represents an important milestone toward a fuller reconstruction of his body of work.
Featuring approximately 100 illustrations, this English-language edition is an essential resource for collectors, scholars, and anyone interested in Rembrandt’s circle, Dutch Golden Age painting, illusionism, and the history of artistic perception.
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