Wilhelm Martin

[1] Wilhelm Martin successfully studied Arts at the University of Leiden between 1894 and 1899, and became a Ph.D. in 1901 with his study Het leven en de werken van Gerrit Dou beschouwd in verband met het schildersleven van zijn tijd, the first purely art historical doctorate in the Netherlands.

He published a second book on Gerrit Dou in 1912, together with E. W. Moes two parts of Oude Schilderkunst in Nederland (Ancient painting in the Netherlands) in 1912 and 1914, and scientific catalogues of the Mauritshuis collection in 1914 and 1915.

In 1942, during the German occupation of the Netherlands, he gave his resignation from the University: it was accepted in 1943, although he stayed as director of the Prentenkabinet.

He retired as director of the Mauritshuis in 1945, only to return for one year in 1946–1947 when his successor suddenly left.

[1] In between his career as an academic, director and writer of art historical books, he contributed to the organisation of exhibitions, was a member of different committees on Dutch Museums and Dutch Heritage, and wrote articles for many magazines, including The Burlington Magazine and Elsevier.