On 3 June 2025, CODART-member Tom van der Molen, curator at the Amsterdam Museum will defend his PhD-thesis at the Radboud University in Nijmegen.

Van der Molen’s thesis, Govert Flinck (1615-1660) is a study of the life and work of that painter who in the seventeenth century rose to prominence, in particular as a painter of portraits and history paintings.

The first part of the book offers a biography and places Flinck’s life and work in relation to his clients and fellow artists. A separate chapter specifically explores the relationship between art and poetry, highlighting a specific group of poets and playwrights who collaborated with visual artists, among them Flinck. Together these chapters shed light on the ideas and perspectives Flinck’s contemporaries had of art in general and his art in particular.

The second part of the book consists of a catalogue of paintings by Flinck and the paintings that were incorrectly attributed to him. The catalogue is introduced by a consideration of the evolution of Flinck’s painting.

On behalf of Tom van der Molen we would like to invite all CODART-members to attend the event on 3 June 2025, at 12:30 (sharp) in the auditorium of Radboud University (Academiezaal), Comeniuslaan 2, Nijmegen.

For those that are unable to come to Nijmegen there is also the opportunity to attend the defense via a livestream: www.ru.nl/aula/livestream

Please RSVP to promotietomvandermolen@gmail.com