Nieuwe biografische gegevens over Dirck Wijntrack (Heusden in of vóór 1618-1678 Den Haag)

The early years of the animal painter Dirck Wijntrack have long been shrouded in mystery. Until now, the earliest known document mentioning him was his wife, Geertruyt Pietersdr. Montagne's will, which was recorded in Rotterdam in 1646. From several newly discovered documents in the Rotterdam archives, we now know that he was born in Heusden prior to 1618 and was a member of the Reformed church. It also became evident that Wijntrack was already living in Rotterdam by 1640, in which year he married his first wife Aeltgen IJsbrants van Beaumont. Wijntrack's early presence in Rotterdam, and the similarities between his earliest extant paintings (in the Drents Museum, Assen and the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam) and the work of Cornells Saftleven, suggest that he was trained by that Rotterdam artist.