Willem Augustin van Minderhout

Willem Augustin van Minderhout[1] (Antwerp, baptized on 29 August 1680 – Střílky, 31 May 1752), was a Flemish painter.

His father was a Dutch-born marine painter who was primarily active in the Flemish cities Bruges and Antwerp.

[3] The majority of his known works show imaginary architecture which serves as the setting for scenes with elegant figures dancing or enjoying a masquerade.

It serves as the stage for the entertainment of noble ladies and men in fanciful costumes who are seen dancing to the tunes of music or sitting around tables.

[9] The painter Jacobus Ferdinandus Saey regularly painted the fantastic architecture for Hieronymus Janssens' ball scenes.

[10] Antwerp painter Jacob Balthasar Peeters, whose work must have been familiar to van Minderhout as he was a pupil of his father, also painted fantastic architectures with elegant figures in exotic costumes.

[11] In addition to these homegrown sources, van Minderhout may also have drawn inspiration for his masquerade pictures from Claude Gillot's prints of comedia dell'arte scenes, and the work of the Flemish painter Hendrick Govaerts from Antwerp, who was also active in Central Europe.