Gérard Hoet (1648 - 1733) attributed - The battle of Clavijo

Gérard Hoet (1648; 1733) attributed; The battle of Clavijo and the appearance of Saint Jacques in Matamore

Large copper mounted on a frame of 86 cm by 68 cm
Old frame of 106 cm by 88 cm


According to tradition, the king of Asturias Ramire Ier helped by the Apostle Saint Jacques, mounted on a white horse, defeated a Moslem army directed by the emir Abd Al Rahman, in 844 in Clavijo. This battle was represented by many painters including Pauwel Casteels, Cornelis de Baellieur the Elder, Gabriel de la Corte, Vicente Carducho, Andrea de Lione ... The work we offer is one of the richest. The composition, the attention to detail, the color palette, the facial expressions, everything is beautifully done.

Gérard Hoet (1648; 1733)

He studied painting with his father and his brother who were stained glass painters, and with the painter Warnard van Rijsen, living in Zaltbommel, himself a pupil of Cornelis van Poelenburgh in Utrechtt. In 1672 he moved to The Hague. He returned to Zaltbommel for a short period to paint for the Comte de Salis, who bought him some of his works and ordered other paintings from him. He accompanies the Count of Salis to Rees in Germany, where he meets the painters of Utrecht Jan van Bunnik, Justus Nieuwpoort and Andries de Wit. He returned with Andries de Wit to Utrecht and worked there for Frederick Nassau from Zuylestein. He undertakes a trip to France because a Marquis has placed an order for him. In vain because the order fell through. On site, he made some engravings of paintings after Francisque Millet. He decides to leave for England, but a letter from his painter friend Lucas Vorsterman dissuades him, arguing that there is much more work in Paris. The artist therefore travels to Paris and remains there for more than a year. He then returned to the Netherlands, via Brussels, where he stayed for eight months following his meeting with the painter Adriaen Frans Boudewyns. He returned to Utrecht and worked for William Nassau from Zuylestein. He married and settled in Heemstede, where he worked for the Lord of the locality. In 1697, with the painter Hendrik Schoock, he requested permission to found a painting academy at the city council of Utrecht. His request is granted. During this period, he painted the decorations of many notable residences in the region of Utrecht. He left the region of Utrecht and settled in The Hague where he lived until the end of his life. He taught painting to his sons Gerard Hoet II and Jacob Hoet, as well as to Nicolaes van Ravesteyn II. His son Jacob Hoet II will become an amateur painter and a great art collector. Gerard Hoet died on December 2, 1733 in The Hague.